A trial has opened in Almaty for Mashrapbek Baratov, a 67-year-old man accused of taking a female airport employee hostage and threatening to detonate a bomb inside the terminal.

The incident occurred on March 7 at Almaty International Airport, where Baratov, armed with a kitchen knife, seized Botagoz Mukhtarova, a 23-year-old security screening officer. He claimed to be carrying explosives and demanded access through the security area without the proper documents.

The situation was quickly defused thanks to the actions of Musa Abdraim, a bystander who had come to the airport to see off an acquaintance. Abdraim, 52, reportedly offered himself in place of the hostage and managed to disarm the attacker at a critical moment. The standoff lasted approximately seven minutes.

Abdraim, a former martial artist, was later honored by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with the “Yerligi Ushin” (For Bravery) medal for his selflessness and courage.

During court proceedings, further details emerged about Baratov’s background. He has been charged under Part 3, Article 293 of the Criminal Code (“Hooliganism with the use of weapons”), Paragraph 4, Part 2, Article 261 (“Hostage-taking”), and Article 273 (“Knowingly false report of an act of terrorism”).

According to prosecutors, Baratov, facing financial distress, spontaneously decided to fly to another city but lacked identification and a boarding pass. When Mukhtarova stopped him during screening, he claimed there was a bomb in his backpack, showed her an old button phone, and held a knife to her neck.

Testifying in court, Mukhtarova recounted the traumatic experience through tears: “He was alone. I asked for his ID and boarding pass. He said he would blow up the airport in three minutes and showed me a button phone. He grabbed me, I fell. He pulled a knife out of my pocket. I panicked and screamed. He said if anyone came close, he’d detonate the bomb.”

Baratov also presented his version in court, claiming he had arrived at the airport by mistake while riding a bus and impulsively decided to fly to Astana in search of work. He admitted to grabbing Mukhtarova and feigning possession of a bomb out of fear of being shot by police. He pleaded guilty to all charges.

He also stated that he suffered a concussion while serving in Afghanistan in 1981, and that each spring he experiences bouts of aggression, allegedly due to long-term brain injuries. Reports indicate that in November 2024, Baratov attacked a woman on a bus for speaking loudly on the phone.

The incident has raised public concern over airport security protocols. Questions persist over how Baratov managed to bring a knife into the terminal. According to Deputy Interior Minister Sanzhar Adilov, responsibility for airport security was transferred from the transport police to aviation security services in 2009. He has since pledged to revisit the legislative amendments from that period.

“There were changes in 2009. Previously, the transport police managed security. Later, this responsibility shifted to the aviation security service,” Adilov said. “We will review the legislative amendments passed then. After investigation and verification, we will submit a report under Article 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code to address circumstances that contributed to the offense.”

Reportedly, since 2010-2011, entry-point screening at most airports in Kazakhstan is not performed except during emergencies. Standard inspections occur only after passengers check in.