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Arkankergen massacre

Coordinates: 45°26′36.1″N 81°30′58.5″E / 45.443361°N 81.516250°E / 45.443361; 81.516250
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Arkankergen mass murder
Vladislav Chelakh, suspected killer
LocationArkankergen, Kazakhstan
Date28 May 2012 (2012-05-28)
05:00 (UTC+06:00)
TargetBorder guards
Attack type
Mass shooting, arson
WeaponsAK-74, Makarov pistol
Deaths15
Injured0
PerpetratorVladislav Chelakh

The Arkankergen massacre occurred on 28 May 2012 in the Arkankergen military post in the Alakol District of Kazakhstan on the border with China, near the village of Usharal. Fifteen people were killed. A border guard, Vladislav Chelakh, initially confessed to the deed, but later retracted his confession.

Events

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Killings

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Arqanqergen is a border post between Kazakhstan and China. At 5 a.m. on 28 May 2012, communication with the border post was lost. When police from a nearby post came to investigate, they discovered the charred quarters and 14 corpses, also burned; a body of a local gamekeeper was found later at a nearby house. The bodies were subsequently identified as fourteen soldiers and one huntsman.[1] The military post had been burned down. The bodies were identified with the help from Berlin's Charité Institute.[2]

Investigation

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Initially investigators considered a variety of causes, including a fight among the soldiers, an attack by religious extremists, and an assault by smugglers.[citation needed] The main version, however, was bullying. The sole survivor, Vladislav Chelakh, was the only ethnic Russian stationed at the post and investigators eventually surmised that the 19-year-old soldier had been subjected to hazing.[3]

Vladislav Chelakh was arrested on 5 June 2012, wearing civilian clothes and not far from the area where the killings took place a week earlier. He was found in a mountain hut, carrying a pistol, a computer, and the mobile phones of the dead soldiers.[2] He admitted to the crime the next day.[4] He later retracted his confession, claiming it had been obtained under pressure.[1]

Trial

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On 20 December 2012, Chelakh was charged with murder; theft; illegally obtaining and distributing of state secrets; embezzlement or extortion of weapons, ammo, explosive devices; illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transfer or carrying of weapons and explosive devices; intentional destruction or damaging of military equipment; desertion; and violation of the housing's inviolability. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison at a penal colony, although his appeals are ongoing.[5] He escaped execution as the country had abolished capital punishment for most crimes three years earlier.[4][2]

Chelakh's mother maintains that lawyers have refused to defend her son and those who agree charge $2,000 a month, so she is planning an appeal to International Court in Belgium.[6] She described her boy as incapable of such a rampage. Chelakh's grandfather Vladimir publicly stated he thought his grandson was being scapegoated.[4] In October 2012, Chelakh attempted suicide by hanging himself.[2]

President Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev declared a day of national mourning and has ordered a special investigation of the incident. The head of the regional border patrol, Alexey Fomin, was also arrested a month after the event for failing to report the border post communication failure. Furthermore, local newsmen have resigned, claiming there is a large-scale cover-up.[7]

List of victims

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No. Name Kazakh name Year of birth Rank Place of birth
1. Kereev Altynbek Qūtjanūly Кереев Алтынбек Құтжанұлы 1984 Captain West Kazakhstan Province
2. Aqyşov Erlan Erğaliūly Ақышов Ерлан Ерғалиұлы 1988 Sergeant Almaty Province
3. Aqylbaev Rüstem Bağdatūly Ақылбаев Рүстем Бағдатұлы 1991 Soldier Almaty Province
4. Särsembaev Talğat Amangeldıūly Сәрсембаев Талғат Амангелдіұлы 1984 Soldier Almaty Province
5. Ağanas Qambar Asqarūly Ағанас Қамбар Асқарұлы 1991 Soldier Aktobe Province
6. Ämırğaliev Bekzat Abatūly Әмірғалиев Бекзат Абатұлы 1989 Soldier Atyrau Province
7. Balğabaev Daniiar Ğarifollaūly Балғабаев Данияр Ғарифоллаұлы 1992 Soldier Atyrau Province
8. Iliiasov Janat Qanatūly Ілиясов Жанат Қанатұлы 1992 Soldier Jambyl Province
9. İmenov Meiırhan Sağyndyqūly Именов Мейірхан Сағындықұлы 1992 Soldier Atyrau Province
10. Maqsatov Äli Iztūrğanūly Мақсатов Әли Ізтұрғанұлы 1992 Soldier Aktobe Province
11. Mūqaşev Nūrlanbek Quatbekūly Мұқашев Нұрланбек Қуатбекұлы 1991 Soldier Karagandy Province
12. Rei Denis Viktorovich[8] Рей Денис Викторович 1993 Soldier Pavlodar Province
13. Sağynğaliev Jeñıs Däuletūly Сағынғалиев Жеңіс Дәулетұлы 1990 Soldier Atyrau Province
14. Üsıpäliev Nūrjas Düisembaiūly Үсіпәлиев Нұржас Дүйсембайұлы 1991 Soldier Jambyl Province
15. Kim Ruslan Nikolaevich Ким Руслан Николаевич 1964 Huntsman Taldykorgan

References

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  1. ^ a b "Print version E-Mail Kazakhstan: 12 Border Guards Found Dead Near Chinese Frontier". Eurasianet.org. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d Christian Neef, Kazakh Massacre Fuels Rising Mistrust, Spiegel.de, 17 January 2013 (accessed on 24 June 2019)
  3. ^ arqanqergen-mass-murder-was-carried-out-by[permanent dead link‍]. Tumblr news.3 September 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Farangis Najibullah, Yelena Veber, What Do We Know About Kazakh Border Guard No. 15?, Rferl,org, 6 June 2012 (accessed on 26 June 2019)
  5. ^ "Kazakh border guard sentenced to life for murdering 15". Rapsinews.com. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  6. ^ Appeal Kazakh military. 21 June 2013.
  7. ^ Kazakhstan Massacre Survivor Takes the Blame. here 7 June 2012. Accessed 3 September 2015.
  8. ^ Forensic experts have not been able to identify his remains. Kazakhstan pays $23,000 to compensate families of 13 massacred border guards.Rapsi, Russian Legal Information System. 3 October 2013. Accessed 3 September 2015.
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45°26′36.1″N 81°30′58.5″E / 45.443361°N 81.516250°E / 45.443361; 81.516250

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