Kazakh judge goes the extra mile to help ethnic villagers

Mauken gives students a lecture at the Husbandry Boarding Primary and Middle School of Qiakuertu Town in May, 2015. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Locals often drive motorcycles after drinking alcohol and Mauken innovatively takes a model court into school classrooms, hoping students will urge their parents to avoid drunk driving.

He also gives free legal consultations and lectures to anyone in need. Last year he did such work 65 times.

His work is meaningful but it once placed him in a dilemma.

At night on Dec 9, 2015, he received a call from his father who said that his wife was about to give birth to his second child prematurely.

The village that Mauken works in is more than 100 km from his home in Fuyun county. At that time of night there was no public transport running and he had several cases to be heard in court during the next few days.

To ensure that the hearings went well, he decided to stay in the village and turn over the hearings to another judge. The following morning he asked for leave, according to regulations, before taking the bus to see his wife.

"When I arrived at the hospital, my father told me that my child was delivered at 4 am," Mauken said, his voice choked with emotion.

Mauken's two years work in Qiakuertu village will end on Feb 20. Though he may not go back to the village in the future, he still cares about the local people and holds a positive view on the development of the village.

"When the construction of the local organizations become complete and sound, the villagers will not rely on targeted supportive policies and dispatched cadres like me", he said. "Whenever they have a problem, it will be addressed in time then."