According to her, "He is doing well; he is teaching other inmates to play the komuz and happily notes that his songs continue to resonate among the people. We hope for his swift release," she said.
Askat Zhetigen is not only an akyn but also a composer and a talented komuz player. From a young age, at 18, he led the folklore and ethnographic ensemble "Ordo Sakhna" and managed to perform in more than 20 countries.
Since 2021, Zhetigen actively published video addresses in which he criticized the actions of the current authorities. His speeches addressed various topics, such as the legalization of the gambling business, changes to the national flag, the arrest of activists, and the reform of the cultural sector.
In March 2024, he was detained after the release of a video in which he criticized President Japarov's interview. That same year, the Sverdlovsk District Court convicted him under Article 327 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic for "Public Calls for the Violent Seizure of Power" and sentenced him to three years in prison. In March 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the decisions of the lower courts.
