Kairat Ryskulbekov - national hero of Kazakhstan

Kairat Ryskulbekov was born on March 13, 1966 in Moiynkumsky district, Zhambyl region. Having graduated from school Kairat joined the army. He served in the army till 1986. After it he returned home and entered the Almaty Institute of Engineering. There he was elected chairman of the student council. Later on Kairat learnt about the events of December 16 when the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union decided to send Gennady Kolbin to Kazakhstan. He agitated students of his institute and young workers of the Almaty Textile Plant to hold demonstrations in the streets. According to witnesses, about two thousand people followed him. The article ?In remembrance of Kairat? published on February 12, 2006 in ?Egemen Kazakhstan? newspaper says: ?As is known out of 99 people, convicted after the December 16th events, two were sentenced to death. Young Kairat was among the condemned. As far as the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union had to regard opinions of the civilized countries, on April 28, 1988 it issued a decree replacing capital punishment with imprisonment for 20 years. Unfortunately, on May 21 Kairat was brutally killed in the Semipalatinsk prison. Who killed him? One can think it was repeated criminal Leonid Vlasenko. But it is just a guess. The communist imperial system tried to do such things using others. The destiny of Kairat still has some unclear circumstances. Even the place where K. Ryskulbekov was buried was unknown for a long time. It can?t be taken as an accident. It is an intentional suppression of facts." People of Kazakhstan remember Kairat as a hero who died in defense of liberty and independence of our nation. His name will ever be in people?s minds.