In May, Altynay Jakisheva, daughter of Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the former head of Kazakhstan’s state uranium company Kazatomprom, married Karl Obi, an investment banker. After sharing wedding photos on social media, she faced a wave of criticism from some Kazakh internet users over her decision to marry a foreigner.
Read also: Groom’s mother addresses racist remarks over mixed-race marriage in Kazakhstan.
Father responds to critics
Dzhakishev came to his daughter’s defense in a lengthy social media post, criticizing those who attacked her over her husband’s nationality.
He recalled that Altynay was just 9 years old when he was arrested in 2009 and 20 when he was released from prison in 2020. During those years, she grew up abroad after the family left Kazakhstan amid pressure related to his criminal case.
According to Dzhakishev, his daughter endured significant hardships, adapted to life in a foreign country, completed her education, and built successful careers as a journalist and model.
He thanked those who congratulated the couple and wished them well, while saying that negative comments reflected poorly on their authors. Dzhakishev argued that true namys — a Kazakh concept encompassing honor and dignity — is measured by a person’s character rather than the nationality of a spouse.
“There are no bad nations. Only bad people,” he wrote.
The former executive also noted that the investigators, prosecutors and judges involved in his case were all fellow citizens, adding that he was grateful fate had spared him from having such people as relatives by marriage.
Altynay calls for compassion
Altynay also responded to the criticism directed at her online.
In an Instagram post, she said she felt compassion for those condemning her marriage and hoped they would experience a form of love free from conditions, expectations and limitations. She wrote that love transcends nationality, race and borders and should not be constrained by prejudice or fear.
She also expressed sympathy for critics whom she described as having become bitter and fearful because of their experiences and wished them the opportunity to find the kind of love people are meant to share.
Life abroad and wedding in Kazakhstan
Altynay has lived abroad since her teenage years, after her family relocated during her father’s legal troubles. She has spent much of her adult life in London, where she works in the fashion industry.
According to Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the couple have known each other for six years and decided to marry two years ago.
Despite living overseas, they celebrated their wedding in Kazakhstan and incorporated traditional Kazakh customs into the ceremony.
