Photo: social media
A specialized administrative court in Atyrau has ruled on the case of three women who took a controversial photo featuring an altered version of Kazakhstan’s national flag, Tengrinews.kz reports.
On March 23, 2025, three Kazakh citizens—identified as N., A., and a minor, X.—posed in front of a national flag bearing an Arabic inscription at the Ice Palace in Atyrau. The image was later circulated on social media. The court deemed this act petty hooliganism, according to its press service.
The women’s guilt was confirmed by an administrative offense report, photographic evidence, an official police memo, and other case materials.
While earlier reports suggested they could face criminal charges for desecrating state symbols, the court ultimately found them guilty under Article 434, Part 1 of Kazakhstan’s Code of Administrative Offenses (petty hooliganism).
N. received a 15-day jail sentence due to aggravating circumstances, including involving a minor and committing the offense as part of a group.
A. was fined 78,640 tenge ($156).
The legal guardian of X. was fined 39,320 tenge ($80).
The verdicts have not yet taken effect.
Notably, the viral image featured four women in niqabs holding the Kazakh flag with an Arabic inscription. However, the court initially did not mention the fourth participant.
The inscription on the altered flag was the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, which is also featured on the official flag of Saudi Arabia.
Update: On April 1, ORDA.kz reported that the court also fined the guardian of the fourth participant, another minor, 39,320 tenge ($80).
