Kazakh writer Mukhtar Magauin has passed away in the United States.

“My father passed away on January 9, in his home in the state of Maryland, surrounded by children and grandchildren,” he wrote on social media.

Mukhtar Mukhanovich Magauin was born in the Abai region. He graduated from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in 1962 and completed his postgraduate studies in philology in 1965. He served as the head of the literary criticism department at the newspaper “Qazaq ädebieti.”

In 1997, he was awarded the international prize from the Foundation of Arts and Writers of Turkey “For Services to the Turkic World.” The award was presented to Magauin in Ankara in 1998 by the President of the Republic of Turkey, Suleyman Demirel.

Last year, Mukhtar Magauin gave an interview to the portal “Halıq üni,” where he shared his thoughts on key events and figures in the history of Kazakhstan. He accused Turar Ryskulov, a significant figure of the Soviet era, of being responsible for past tragedies, such as famine and repression. At the same time, he positively assessed the role of Vladimir Lenin, noting his contribution to resolving the national question.

The writer paid special attention to the events of independent Kazakhstan. Magauin spoke out sharply against the shootings in Zhanaozen and the sale of land, labeling these actions as a betrayal of the people. He harshly criticized the first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, accusing him of destroying Kazakh identity and selling out the interests of the populace.

Furthermore, the writer expressed concern over the rise of religiosity in the country, describing the increase of Islamic propaganda as a “darkness” that undermines national consciousness. In his view, this phenomenon was supported by the Nazarbayev clan. The writer called for the strengthening of secular education and the protection of national traditions.