A court in Kazakhstan has granted early release to the leader of the unregistered opposition party Algha (Forward), Vladimir Kozlov.
The director of the Almaty-based Charter for Human Rights Foundation, Zhemis Turmaghambetova, says the Qapshaghai City Court accepted on August 4 Kozlov’s request for release on parole.
The decision will come into force in 15 days.
Kozlov was arrested in January 2012 for his role in a mass strike by oil workers in the country's west that ended in violence in December 2011.
During the unrest, police shot dead at least 16 people in the western town of Zhanaozen.
In October 2012, Kozlov was found guilty of inciting social discord and sentenced to 7 1/2 years in jail.
Kozlov has insisted the case against him was politically motivated.
