Since October 2023, Montenegro has been the temporary home of Dinara Smailova – a revolutionary from Kazakhstan, as international organizations describe her.
"I am a woman who survived gang rape, and that is why, decades later, I founded the organization 'Don't be silent', to empower others not to be silent," she says in an interview with Radio Free Europe.
Nine years ago, an organization was founded to help victims cope with the consequences of domestic and sexual violence.
And Dinara's fight for their rights brought them into conflict with the Kazakh authorities.
After she publicly criticized them for corruption and ineffective protection of women and children, the authorities initiated proceedings against her. Six so far: for corruption, fraud, and spreading false information.
Due to pressure and threats, she left her country in 2021.
The first stop was Georgia, and then Montenegro, where she requested asylum.
RFE/RL: Dinara, can you take us back to the beginning – what was happening in Kazakhstan? Why did you decide to leave it?
I am a woman who suffered gang rape. And I told women that they must be strong. In three years, we have managed to change people's minds. And the law.
The first law we changed in Kazakhstan on this topic was the law on sexual violence. And it is being implemented.
It was a very big step for a woman who is herself a victim of sexual violence to stand up, raise her voice, and empower other women to speak out.
They invited me to America, as a revolutionary woman who changed the minds of others. It's easier when others think like you. After America, I returned to Kazakhstan. They brought charges against me. They wanted me to close my organization.
They wanted to silence me so that I wouldn't encourage women to talk about violence. But they didn't succeed. Year after year, we had more and more women reporting rape, and children being raped...
That's why it was very important for the authorities to stop me in that process.
RFE/RL: Why did the authorities want to stop you?
Because we discovered police misconduct, massive corruption, and the authorities didn't like it.
RFE/RL: What kind of data have you come up with, what have you achieved in five years of work?
Our organization has amended six laws on sexual violence against women and children.
In addition, there are 314 offenders in prison, we have provided 55.000 free consultations and created a call center where women can report violence.
RFE/RL: Why are the Kazakh authorities accusing you of spreading disinformation and fraud?
Everything the organization does is funded by donations. Everything we have is reported and everything is transparently posted on our social media.
On October 16, they filed charges against me. They only started looking for me in November last year. They accuse me of stealing donations and going across the border. They say we received 56 million tenge (95.000 euros) and only gave a small part to lawyers.
Just for working with victims, 180 hours of psychologists were paid. We had a team of 14 people who received a salary. We paid for the rent of the offices.
All of this was written in all of our expenses. And the government, despite the transparency that is clearly visible on our social networks, was providing false information about me.
Georgia offered, then withdrew, hospitality
RFE/RL: Your first choice was Georgia. But you were somehow expelled from there, you were forbidden to return. Why?
My wife and I were invited to Georgia by lawyers who included us in a protection program. Georgia gave us the opportunity for rehabilitation.
There they discovered I had uterine cancer and I had to stay to have surgery.
We stayed in Georgia, where we founded the Break Silence fund and built a team.
At the end of September we were in Turkey, we went for three days and when we returned they banned me from crossing the border but not my husband. They told me they would send me back to Turkey.
My husband said he would go with me, so we returned to Turkey together with one backpack of our belongings and literally nothing. All our work in Georgia was violently stopped.
The Georgian authorities did not explain why they forbade us to do so. At that moment, many lawyers appeared and said that it was unfair. We went to the Georgian consulate in Istanbul but we did not receive any help.
Then we came up with the idea of trying Montenegro.
They expected protection in Montenegro
RFE/RL: How did you decide on Montenegro?
We chose Montenegro because it is a NATO member and a country moving towards the European Union. That was very important to us and we hoped that they would protect us here.
When we arrived in October 2023, we immediately applied for asylum. The Kazakh police filed a lawsuit against me so that Montenegro would not grant me that status.
So, on October 12th, we arrived in Montenegro, and on the 16th, Kazakhstan filed a lawsuit. But that didn't stop us.
RFE/RL: However, you were threatened here too. Did you report it to the police and how did they react?
They followed us in Montenegro. There were four, five cases.
There were situations where we were threatened by citizens of Kazakhstan. Even one who lives in Italy. He threatened to report us. We also have residence in Italy.
We reported this to the police. When they called us and asked us exactly where we lived, I thought they were doing it for protection and naively told them.
After a while, two police officers came and I immediately knew it would be an arrest for extradition.
At that moment, I didn't have a translator, I don't speak the language well, and I reacted as they requested. They asked us to go to the police station, where they took my fingerprints and a statement, and where an arrest warrant was immediately issued.
Everything happened very quickly. The police were in civilian clothes, they quickly took me out into the street, there were three cars there and they all looked ordinary, not like police officers.
My husband stayed at home, and they took me. They told him he could come on foot. I was scared, I thought it was some kind of scam because they weren't in uniform.
I asked my husband to come with us because I started to doubt that it was the police at all, I thought it was some other organization.
When they brought us to the police station, they told me that I had to be detained, they explained everything to me, albeit without an interpreter, in some semi-confusing language, but they still explained to me how things would proceed regarding my extradition.
In the morning, my husband informed Montenegrin lawyers and journalists and they all came together very quickly, and I found a lawyer who provided assistance with the extradition issue.
I am supported by organizations - from local women's organizations in Montenegro to the European Parliament.
We live in anticipation.
RFE/RL: Are you afraid that you will still be extradited?
We live in anticipation, it's very difficult when you don't know your future, when you don't understand how everything will end. However, I hope that my case will be handled properly and that it will be assessed well.
When I was in court, the judges and lawyers said that the damage they convicted me for and are suing me for was only 42 euros.
However, my hope is Montenegro, which is a democratic country.
My husband really likes Montenegro too. He especially likes the nature.
RFE/RL: How are you spending your time while waiting for a decision?
I started painting, going to exhibitions and trying to sell my paintings. It keeps us alive, being able to do art and take our minds off our problem.
I feel safe here, unlike Kazakhstan.
I wouldn't be able to act there the way I act here. That's why I'm grateful to Montenegro and the people who support us.
RFE/RL: What does the situation with women in Kazakhstan look like from here?
I want to say that our women are big and strong.
I have seen many terrible situations and how our women rose from all these problems. I have also seen how one of our women can be an example for hundreds, for thousands. A women's revolution is happening in Kazakhstan. Everything will improve, but the main thing is not to be silent.
Kazakh women need help, as do journalists and lawyers... And I ask the whole world to help Kazakhstan. Don't be silent!
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