The World’s Oldest Political Prisoner

My Facebook friend Polat Dzhamalov is, probably, the oldest political prisoner in the world. This Russian theoretical physicist of Kazakh ethnic origin was sentenced to 7-year prison term at the age of 81 in 2025. Mr. Dzhamalov’s crime is “outrageous“: in his Facebook posts the Kazakh cast a doubt on Russian official stats, concerning the war in Ukraine. The mainstream Western media have been silent in this respect.

In January 2022, I met him personally in Moscow. We shared a common opinion as for the Russian invasion in Kazakhstan, triggered by a traitorous appeal by the pro-Russian president Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev. Moreover, Mr. Dzhamalov bravely voiced his disagreement with the invasion. But, his background includes certain controversial moments. The political prisoner has been connected with numerous high-ranking Kazakh diplomatists, who, as a rule, routinely conduct espionage activities. His daughter Saule Dzhamalova started her medical career at the Central Clinic of FSB (KGB) in 2002, which clearly indicates Ms. Dzhamalova’s involvement with the Russia’s principal security agency. However, Mr. Dzhamalov’s consequent activities as an outspoken dissident have exonerated him all right.

Why the political prisoner’s case has drawn little attention globally? First of all, the mainstream Western media traditionally have been either commercially-fuelled or ideologically-motivated propaganda vehicles or both. Then, pro-Russian forces in the EU and USA have been reluctant to raise another anti-Russian topic. On the other hand, the pro-Russian government of Kazakhstan has been unwilling to protect the fellow Kazakh against blatantly unlawful activities of their Russian superiors. The Kazakh officials have not expressed their concern over the case. They have not hired a powerful lawyer to defend Mr. Dzhamalov in a court of law (or, rather, lawlessness). So, the seemingly well-connected political prisoner has dramatically turned out to be a lone warrior without full-fledged support of his fellow Kazakhs and international community as well.

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