A criminal case has been initiated by the police in Astana in response to statements made by citizens of Kazakhstan regarding the recent drone attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on the facilities of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). The Prosecutor General Berik Asylov reported this in response to a request from deputies.
The investigation has started under part 1 of article 174 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan, which pertains to inciting national hatred. Law enforcement agencies are working to identify the authors of negative comments regarding the attack on the CPC and are gathering the necessary evidence. A final legal assessment will be provided upon completion of the investigation.
On December 17, deputies of the Mazhilis from the "Amanat" party requested the Prosecutor General's Office to check the accounts of users who, in their opinion, supported the attacks on the CPC on social media. In their request, the parliamentarians noted that such actions go beyond constitutional freedom of speech and harm national interests. They also pointed out the possibility of qualifying these actions under articles related to the promotion of terrorism and treason.
On the morning of November 29, drones struck a maritime terminal near Novorossiysk, through which Kazakhstan exports a significant portion of its oil. The Ministry of Energy of the republic condemned this attack, calling it unacceptable and a threat to global energy security. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan also expressed an official protest.
