Bolat Atabaev

Atabaev publicly protested the use of lethal force against the protesters. In early 2012, he joined a public commission founded by activists to investigate the violence. In March, he also staged a play in Almaty which dealt with the Zhanaozen events indirectly. Titled Avalanche, the play showed daily life in a mountain village in which villagers must obey every order of their elders in order to avoid actions which might trigger a deadly avalanche. After the elders order a pregnant woman to be buried alive, however, the villagers realize the threat of avalanche was manufactured by the elders to maintain control, and they rebel. All proceeds from the play were donated to the families of those who died in the Zhanaozen shootings.

On 6 January 2012, the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NSC) charged Atabaev with "inciting social discord" for his role in the protests. He was later released on bail. The charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years' imprisonment. Several other opposition figures were arrested in connection with the protests, including journalist Zhanbolat Mamay, politician Serik Sapargali, and Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan leader Vladimir Kozlov.

In August 2012, Atabaev was awarded the Goethe Medal of Germany's Goethe-Institut, a prize of the German government for non-citizens for artistic contributions.

In May 2011, oil workers in the city of Zhanaozen in Kazakhstan's Mangystau Province began striking. Atabaev joined the workers and worked to communicate their demands to authorities.

On 16–17 December 2011, the region saw a series of riots in which striking oil workers clashed with state security forces. At least 15 civilians were killed and 100 wounded by police shootings.

Bolat Atabaev (15 May 1952 – 28 July 2021) was a Kazakhstani theater director who in 2012 was charged with "inciting social discord" for his role in the 2011 Mangystau riots. Amnesty International designated him a prisoner of conscience. He was released on 3 July 2012.