Arkankergen mass murder

The Arqanqergen mass murder occurred in the Almaty Region of Kazakhstan on the border with China. Arqanqergen is a military post 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.

Vladislav Chelakh, 19 years old, presumed author of the killings.
Location	Arqanqergen, Kazakhstan
Date	May 28, 2012 5:00 a.m. (UTC+06:00)
Target	Border guards
Attack type	Mass shooting, arson
Weapons	AK-74 Makarov pistol
Deaths	15
Perpetrator	Vladislav Chelakh

Description

Killings

Arqanqergen (Kazakh: Арқанкерген) 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

Initially investigators considered a variety of causes, including a fight among the soldiers, an attack by religious extremists, and an assault by smugglers. 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

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, violation of the housing's inviolability. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison at a penal colony, although his appeals are on-going.[5] He escaped death penalty as the country abolished it 3 years prior to the trial.[4][2]

Chelah'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 grand-son was being scapegoated.[4] On October 2012, Chelakh attempted suicide by hanging himself.[2]

President Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev, declared a day of national mourning, has also 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

№	Name	Kazakh name	Year of birth	Rank	Place of birth
1.	Kereev Altynbek Kutjanuly	Кереев Алтынбек Құтжанұлы	1984	captain	West Kazakhstan Province
2.	Aqyshov Yerlan Yergaliuly	Ақышов Ерлан Ерғалиұлы	1988	sergeant	Almaty Province
3.	Aqylbayev Rustem Bagdatuly	Ақылбаев Рүстем Бағдатұлы	1991	soldier	Almaty Province
4.	Sersembayev Talgat Amangeldiuly	Сәрсембаев Талғат Амангелдіұлы	1984	soldier	Almaty Province
5.	Aganas Qambar Asqaruly	Ағанас Қамбар Асқарұлы	1991	soldier	Aktobe Province
6.	Emirgaliyev Bekzat Abatuly	Әмірғалиев Бекзат Абатұлы	1989	soldier	Atyrau Province
7.	Balgabayev Daniyar Garifouly	Балғабаев Данияр Ғарифоллаұлы	1992	soldier	Atyrau Province
8.	Iliyasov Janat Qatuly	Ілиясов Жанат Қанатұлы	1992	soldier	Jambyl Province
9.	Imenov Meyirhan Sagyndyquly	Именов Мейірхан Сағындықұлы	1992	soldier	Atyrau Province
10.	Maqsatov Eli Izturganuly	Мақсатов Әли Ізтұрғанұлы	1992	soldier	Aktobe Province
11.	Mukashev Nurlanbek Quatbekuly	Мұқашев Нұрланбек Қуатбекұлы	1991	soldier	Karagandy Province
12.	Rey Denis Viktorovich [8]	Рей Денис Викторович	1993	soldier	Pavlodar Province
13.	Sagyngaliyev Jenis Deuletuly	Сағынғалиев Жеңіс Дәулетұлы	1990	soldier	Atyrau Province
14.	Usipaliyev Nurjas Duysembauly	Үсіпәлиев Нұржас Дүйсембайұлы	1991	soldier	Jambyl Province
15.	Kim Ruslan Nikolayevich	Ким Руслан Николаевич	1964	huntsman	Taldykorgan

References

1. "Print version E-Mail Kazakhstan: 12 Border Guards Found Dead Near Chinese Frontier". Eurasianet.org. 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
2. 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. Tumblr news.3 September 2015.
4. 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. 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
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.