The wife of missing Kazakhstani truck driver Alimnur Turganbay was arrested again in Almaty, as her family continues to seek answers about his detention by Chinese authorities.
In 2017, Alimnur Turganbay, an ethnic Kazakh, and his family came to Kazakhstan after leaving China and obtained Kazakh citizenship, while abandoning the Chinese one as it was part of the Kazakh integration program. Meanwhile, Alimnur Turganbay’s daughter has already traveled to China without issues before, his father didn’t have the same chance…
On 23 July 2025, Kazakhstani truck driver Alimnur Turganbay crossed the Kazakhstan-China border to deliver cargo. Shortly after entering China, he was detained by local authorities, accused of holding dual citizenship – a claim his family calls baseless. Another version of the story tells us that there is a link between Alimnur’s nonsense imprisonment and his nephew’s imprisonment in China for allegedly religious reasons.
It has been more than two months since Alimnur disappeared. At home in Kazakhstan, his wife, Guldaria, and their three daughters now live in fear and uncertainty, waiting for news about his fate, but answers seem impossible to obtain.
Protests and Punishments
Instead of finding support from the Kazakh government, Guldaria has faced repeated pressure and punishment. Most recently, on 3 August 2025, she was detained without reasons at railway station before even setting foot on the train to Astana. Her plan had been to stage a small picket outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but she spent several hours in police department instead.
Over the past few months, Guldaria has made at least eight attempts to draw attention to her husband’s disappearance: in front of the representative of Foreign Ministry offices in Almaty, at the Chinese Consulate General, through a video appeal directed at President Tokayev and most recently in front the Akimat of Almaty (City Administration). Each time, her demand has been simple: for the Kazakh government to act and protect their citizens.
The response has been fines and detentions. A court even fined her over 700,000 tenge (1,200 euro) – an impossible sum for a family already struggling to make ends meet. She has led many of the protests with her three daughters by her side, highlighting the depth of their desperation.
Political and Human Rights Concerns
Alimnur’s family insists that his detention is politically motivated. In fact, China steel keeps labour camps for ethnic minorities including Kazakhs.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has maintained that China does not recognize Alimnur’s Kazakh citizenship, leaving his family in legal and emotional limbo.
Many human rights organizations and activist groups have criticized both the Chinese and Kazakh authorities. Activists and human rights defenders stress that this case is not only a private tragedy but also a human rights issue, requiring international attention and pressure on both governments to ensure Alimnur’s safety and rights.
