Vikram Ruzakhunov revealed on his Instagram page that two officers from the Prosecutor General's Office of Kazakhstan were specially sent from Astana to Almaty. He stated that currently four previously identified police officers have been detained and placed in custody.
According to the musician, one of the police officers admitted to the torture and violence. Alongside Vikram Ruzakhunov, there are 22 other victims involved in the torture case. The Prosecutor General's Office assured them that the case will be pursued to its logical conclusion, and the arrest of the initial four criminals in uniform is just the beginning, he added.
On January 9, 2022, social media and Kazakhstani TV channels circulated a video in which a man claimed to have come to Kazakhstan to participate in a rally in Almaty. It was reported that some individuals called the Kyrgyzstani man on January 1 and offered him $200 to participate in the rally. The man was identified as Vikram Ruzakhunov, the leader of a jazz orchestra from Bishkek. Activists and journalists from Kyrgyzstan appealed to the authorities of both countries to release the detained musician and send him back home.
On January 10, at 18:40, he crossed the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border. However, upon his return, Vikram Ruzakhunov stated that he was not subjected to torture. The bruises and abrasions on his face were the result of a "harsh arrest." Later, the musician admitted that he was indeed tortured. Criminal cases have been initiated regarding the detention and harsh treatment of Kyrgyz nationals Cholponbek Sydykov and Vikram Ruzakhunov.
