FREEDOM FIGHTER

Among the galaxy of the Kazakh intelligentsia of the late XIX – early XX century, such as Alikhan Bokeikhanov, Akhmet Baitursynov, Mirzhakyp Dulatov, Zhakyp Akpayev, Mustafa Shokai, Khalel Dosmukhamedov and others, the figure of Zhakhanshi Dosmukhamedov stands out. A graduate of the Ural Military Real School and the prestigious Faculty of Law of the Imperial Moscow University (now Lomonosov Moscow State University), one of the leaders of the Alash movement, Chairman of the western branch of Alash-Orda, Deputy Chairman of the All-Russian Muslim Council, a talented organizer, brilliant politician, professional lawyer, prosecutor, jurist, civilist. As a lawyer, he played a leading role in the formation of the legal concept of "Alash" and the formation of "Alash-Orda" and legal views are relevant to this day, as they are progressive in nature.

It is important to note that in that difficult historical period Kazakh youth was concentrated in such large Russian cities as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tomsk, Omsk, Orenburg, etc. After graduating from the Ural Military Real School, Zhakhansha Dosmukhamedov continued his studies at one of the best universities in Russia i.e the Imperial Moscow University. The choice of his future profession was influenced by the socio-political situation in the country and the plight of the people, who were on the verge of losing centuries-old traditions and customs. The young and talented Zhakhansha was noticed, the rector himself provided support for the young man to become a university student. This is evidenced by the letters found in the state archives of Moscow. He studied social-political and legal literature, scientific works of Russian and foreign scientists, progressive ideas of American, European and Russian thinkers, and also acquired great communication skills. Continuing the ideas of Russian liberalism and realizing the poly-nationality of the peoples of Central Asia and Kazakhstan, he saw real prospects for the consolidation of peoples. He put forward the idea of uniting peoples, offering to focus on Uzbeks, Turkmens, Bashkirs and Turkestan in general, as a region related to the composition of the population.

Zh.Dosmukhamedov was well acquainted with the political and legal teachings of not only Russian thinkers, but also the political and legal views and ideas of prominent representatives of European and American schools. At the same time, he paid special attention to the study of Kazakh customary law and the views of Kazakh thinkers who raised the ideas of preserving national identity, ethnic integrity of the people, justice. In other words, the preservation of the national identity of the people and the education of national feelings were the beginning of the political ideas of Zh.Dosmukhamedov. He was also close to the political and legal teachings of the representatives of the United States. He was inspired by the ideals of the socio-political system of the United States, he was for "a federal democratic republic with the mandatory provision of broad territorial and national autonomy to the Kazakhs." However, his final goal was the formation of an independent Kazakhstan.

Guided only by the principles of peacemaking policy, Zh.Dosmukhamedov solved important political issues, he submitted for discussion to the All-Russian Muslim Council and included the land issue on the agenda of regional congresses. He proposed to suspend resettlement to the Kazakh Territory in general and the western regions in particular, to prohibit further alienation and leasing of land, to provide land plots for the use of Kazakhs, etc. In his opinion, the active resettlement policy of the authorities destroys the traditional foundations of Kazakh society, does not contribute to the development of the economy, national culture and language. Kazakh society in such conditions could lose its identity, the legal system that has developed for many centuries.

Zhakhansha Dosmukhamedov together with Khalel were delegated to negotiate with Lenin and Stalin on important issues of the Kazakh region. It was very important for him to preserve spiritual values for posterity. This can be observed even from one of his life facts, when during the riots engulfed by the February Revolution, he managed to take out of the St. Petersburg museum a miraculously preserved original of the holy Koran, written by the hand of Caliph Osman, and transfer it to the Spiritual Administration of Ufa, and then to the historical museum of Tashkent. The idea of Zh. Dosmukhamedov was supported by the Russian public figure, scientist-researcher G.N. Potanin, who said: "It would be better if the Kazakh people formed their own separate autonomy than became part of Siberia."

By the decision of the Troika at the NKVD Directorate for the Moscow Region on July 16, 1938, he was convicted a second time under articles 58-10 (anti-Soviet propaganda and agitation) and 58-11 (participation in a counter-revolutionary organization), he was sentenced to death with confiscation of his property. Zh.Dosmukhamedov was shot on August 3, 1938 and buried in a mass grave in Butovo. Subsequently rehabilitated. His boundless love for his people, dedication to the Motherland are a role model and have great educational value for the younger generation.

Press Service of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University