Foreign tourist apologizes for comments about “mafia” in Kazakhstan
How it started
In the original video, a man identifying himself as Igor claimed he had faced “corruption” and “unlawful actions” from police and border officers at Almaty Airport. He also mentioned a “mafia” and alleged that his bicycle was damaged and his passport confiscated during document checks.
Following the video’s circulation, the Transport Police Department conducted an internal review.
“During border control, discrepancies were found in the Moldovan citizen’s passport — several pages were missing. He was therefore directed for additional verification, which confirmed the violation,” the department said.
Authorities stated that the other allegations mentioned in the video were also investigated.
“No conflict with police officers was established. Claims about the damaged bicycle and other circumstances proved to be false,” officials added.
The tourist was given a legal explanation and a preventive conversation was held.
“After clarification, he fully understood the situation and acknowledged the legality of the authorities’ actions,” police said.
Tourist’s apology
Later, police shared a follow-up video featuring the same man, in which he apologized and said the misunderstanding had been resolved.
“My name is Igor, I’m at Almaty Airport. There was a misunderstanding with border control, but everything has been resolved. The police helped me sort it out and assisted with my documents. Everything is fine now, and I have no complaints,” the traveler said.
Earlier, in the viral video, Igor had made harsh accusations of corruption and unfair treatment. According to police, he has since continued his journey without any issues.