On May 27, a court ruling came into force against 12 Kazakhstani citizens accused of organizing and participating in the activities of a religiously extremist organization, according to the press service of the National Security Committee (KNB).

The investigation established that the convicts were spreading extremist and terrorist narratives, inciting religious hatred, and recruiting new supporters in Kazakhstan.

The Specialized Interdistrict Criminal Court of Astana sentenced them to prison terms ranging from nine to 18 years. Most of the convicted had previously been convicted of serious crimes, including the murder of a police officer, robbery, kidnapping, and drug trafficking.