Amirjan Qosanov

In March 2006, Qosanov was sentenced 15 days to jail for organizing an unauthorized rally in support of politically repressed victims by the Almaty Inter-District Court.

In February and March 2012, he served two 15-day jail terms for organizing a rally in support of the victims of the Zhanaozen massacre.[1] During Qozanov's second jail term, he went on a hunger strike. Various provocations and acts of intimidation were repeatedly organized towards him. Qosanov's apartment doors were concreted, and he received a wreath, as well as a payment for his funeral.

Following the resignation of long-time President Nursultan Nazarbayev, many talks arose of a possible snap presidential election being held. On 9 April 2019, Qosanov expressed interest in running for the election, believing that the race would be fair under the new country's leadership.[2] That same day, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that a snap election would be held on 9 June.[3][4] On 26 April, Qosanov announced his candidacy for president for the Ult Tagdyry in which he was unanimously nominated by its delegates.[5] He became a registered candidate on 6 May.[6]

Qosanov ran on a platform in fighting against corruption, reducing the powers of a president, allowing direct elections of akims, making Kazakh economy less dependent on raw resources, and prohibiting the construction of nuclear power plants.[7] During his campaign, Qosanov was accused by several opposition groups such as the leader of Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan, Mukhtar Ablyazov, for being co-opted by the government due to history of Kazakhstan's unfair elections and treatment towards political activists. Qosanov himself stated that he already doubted that the elections would be fair and that if any violations were reported, he would condemn the results.[8] At the 2019 Kazakh presidential election, which took place on 9 June, he won 16.02% of the vote, making it a best performance by a candidate towards an incumbent president since Zharmakhan Tuyakbay in 2005.[9] On the night of 10 June, Qosanov conceded the race and congratulated Tokayev for his win to which he received criticism for basing it on the exit polls before final results were announced and for refusing to condemn the election despite his promise after many cases of fraud were reported.[10] Qosanov stated that the difference between the exit polls and the final results are usually similar in the elections. He emphasized that he's obliged not abandon his policy statements and principles and will promise to advocate for democratic values and for a dialogue between society and the authorities.[11][12]