Pretrial detention extended for Kazakh opposition activists
Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
Publication Date | 19 March 2012 |
Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pretrial detention extended for Kazakh opposition activists, 19 March 2012, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4f717ae5c.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 19, 2012
ALMATY, Kazakhstan – A court in the Kazakh city of Almaty on March 19 extended the pretrial detentions of two opposition leaders for another month, until at least late April.
Vladimir Kozlov, leader of the unregistered opposition party Algha (Forward), and prominent opposition activist Serik Saparghali, were arrested in January by National Security Committee officers.
They were detained after they visited the southwestern town of Zhanaozen, where security forces shot dead at least 16 demonstrators in mid-December.
Kozlov and Saparghali were charged with inciting social hatred.
Both deny the charges, saying their cases are politically motivated attacks on opponents of the government of President Nursultan Nazarbaev.
With reporting by Interfax