Kazakh Authorities Open Investigation After Temir Mayor Found Dead

The authorities in Kazakhstan’s Aktobe Region have opened a pre-trial investigation after the mayor (akim) of Temir city, Erkin Dalmagambetov, was found dead on December 20. The Aktobe regional police department confirmed the death and said the circumstances are being established. "Police have opened a pre-trial investigation into the suicide. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated," according to an official statement. Local officials also confirmed the death. Almas Zhaksylykov, the akim of Temir District, told reporters that Dalmagambetov was found at home on the evening of December 20 and that authorities were conducting checks. Several Kazakh outlets reported that Dalmagambetov was 46 and left six children. Dalmagambetov led Temir, a small city in western Kazakhstan, for less than two years. He was appointed on June 3, 2024, after local elections held the day before, according to a Temir District akimat announcement published on the government’s portal. Temir is the administrative center of the Temir District in the Aktobe Region. The area sits in western Kazakhstan, a region known for energy, mining, and transport routes. The Aktobe Region has a population of about 928,000, based on recent official estimates. Kazakhstan’s akims serve as local executive leaders, with responsibilities that range from municipal services and budgeting to implementing national programs at a local level. In smaller cities such as Temir, the mayor’s office is often closely tied to day-to-day issues such as utilities, roads, schools, and public order. The case has drawn wide attention online. The authorities have not announced funeral arrangements or any interim leadership decision for Temir city. The Temir District akimat has not published additional details beyond confirming the death, with the police saying they will not disclose more information during the investigation.

Uzbekistan Implicated in U.S. Investigation of NYC Mayor Eric Adams

Uzbekistan has been implicated in a serious investigation into the sources of donations to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign. The investigation appears to be intensifying, a source said, after federal prosecutors issued subpoenas to his team members, including the mayor himself, in July. The US investigation into the mayor of New York spans six countries. It includes Adams’ ties to Turkey, Israel, Qatar, China, South Korea, and Uzbekistan. The big question investigators are trying to answer is whether his 2021 mayoral campaign conspired with Turkey’s government to receive illegal foreign donations, and whether the fire department was pressured to approve a new high-rise Turkish consulate despite safety concerns. Prosecutors seek additional information on Adams' relations with the other countries, including Uzbekistan – the only one of the six that Adams has not visited.