The Astana city court said in a statement that Masimov was found guilty of all charges, which accused him of trying to overthrow the government and overstepping his authority. The general will be stripped of his rank and all state awards, banned from holding public office ever again and will have his property confiscated. The ruling has not taken effect yet.
Since the case was labeled top-secret, the hearings were held behind closed doors. Three of Masimov’s deputies were handed prison terms of between 3 and 16 years. The court also ordered some $46 million in assets to be seized.
The National Security Committee, Kazakhstan’s top security and intelligence agency, announced Masimov’s arrest on treason charges in early 2022, shortly after a wave of unrest swept the Central Asian nation. More than 200 people, including security personnel, died in ensuing clashes.