Are convicts in Kazakhstan's prisons tortured 'as a preventative measure'?

Bloody traces from handcuffs, a right leg swollen from blows, a continuous blue bruise from the leg to the back, bloody urination and gastrointestinal bleeding, and a swelling in the groin area. Such injuries were sustained by a convict after he was beaten by prison staff.
A prisoner of the high-security institution located in the village of Zarechnoye, Almaty region, Zhandos Sagatov, underwent an operation in the city of Kapchagay. Now, the man has been sent to an Almaty hospital for a second operation, as his health is deteriorating.
The convict related that the deputy head for regime-operational work, Kanat Syzdykov, convicts from the SPP unit (Council of Law and Order), and two controllers beat him with sticks and dunked his head into a toilet, flushing it while doing so. In prison slang, this is called 'running through the mincer'. After this, they shoved a rag into his mouth, put a bucket on his head, and continued the mockery. The beatings, as the victim asserts, lasted about two hours. As a rule, this happens in order to 'put one in their place' and intimidate newly arrived prisoners.
The chairperson of the Public Oversight Commission for monitoring places of deprivation of liberty in Almaty and the Almaty region, Ardak Zhanabilova, intends to help Zhandos Sagatov.
- We insist on conducting an objective investigation into the fact of the brutal beating. And, of course, the most important thing is to ensure that such situations are never allowed to be repeated in the future, neither in this colony nor in any other, - related Ms. Zhanabilova.
Members of the public commission visited the victim in the hospital.
- There is not a single living space left on his body: there are traces of handcuffs on his hands, one leg is completely swollen and blue, and the bruise from the limb reaches all the way to the back. But most of all, Zhandos complained of pain in the groin area; he says there is a large swelling there from the prolonged beatings.
Roza Akylbekova, acting director of the Bureau for Human Rights, related to 'Vzglyad' that investigations into such cases are conducted for a long time—it is not so simple to prove the guilt of prison staff.
- Despite the international agreements that Kazakhstan adopts, the situation in practice is quite different. I cannot even say for sure right now whether we will prove it or not, whether we will be able to help this guy. At this time, we are waiting for responses to letters we sent to all involved structures, but for now, there is silence. Zhandos is becoming increasingly worse, and now, delay is absolutely not possible.
Public activists want their direct participation in the inspections regarding the indicated fact for the purpose of objectivity and transparency. Read about the progress of the investigation in the next issues.

Source: Business newspaper 'Vzglyad' No. 13 (149) from 09 April 2010