Aydos Sadykov, a renowned critic of Kazakhstan’s political regime, passed away two weeks after surviving an assassination attempt in Kyiv, his wife announced on Tuesday. His wife Natalia Sadykova blamed Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for the assassination, stating that Sadykov’s death is on Tokayev’s conscience.

In response to the assassination attempt, President Tokayev emphasized the importance of the rule of law and compliance with international norms to resolve conflicts. Furthermore, he expressed the Kazakh authorities’ willingness to fully cooperate with Ukrainian officials in the investigation to assist in revealing the truth.

Ukrainian police identified two Kazakh nationals, Meiram Karatayev and Altay Zhakanbayev, as suspects in the attempted murder of Sadykov on June 21. Karatayev, an employee of the Kostanay Region Police Department and a professional shooter, remains at large. Zhakanbayev voluntarily reported to Kazakh authorities and has been detained in Kazakhstan but will not be extradited to Ukraine. According to Ukraine’s prosecutor general, both suspects fled to Moldova on the day of the attack.

Sadykov accompanied by his wife, sought asylum in Ukraine in 2014 and continued his activism, advocating for democratic reforms in his homeland through his YouTube channel and social media platforms. On June 18, an assassination attempt left him in critical condition, ultimately resulting in his death.

Sadykov’s tragic demise has sparked outrage among human rights activists and raised concerns about the safety of political dissidents worldwide. International human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have condemned the attack, calling for a thorough investigation and urging the Ukrainian government to ensure the safety of other exiled dissidents and activists.