Accessibility links

Breaking News

Polish MPs Denied Access To Jailed Kazakh Opposition Leader


Vladimir Kozlov
Vladimir Kozlov
ASTANA -- Two Polish politicians have been denied permission to visit jailed Kazakhstani opposition leader Vladimir Kozlov at a labor camp in northern city of Petropavlovsk.

Polish members of parliament Tomasz Makowski and Malgorzata Marcinkiewicz tried to visit the leader of the unregistered Algha (Forward) party on February 13.

Kozlov was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison in October for his role in the mass strike by oil workers in western Kazakhstan.

The strike ended in violence in December 2011.

Police shot dead 17 people in the towns of Zhanaozen and Shetpe.

Kozlov insists the case against him is politically motivated.

Marcinkiewicz told RFE/RL that the prison warden refused to allow a meeting with Kozlov because permission was first required from the Interior Ministry and the prosecutor-general.
  • 16x9 Image

    RFE/RL's Kazakh Service

    RFE/RL's Kazakh Service offers informed and accurate reporting in the Kazakh and Russian languages about issues that matter in Kazakhstan, while providing a dynamic platform for audience engagement and the free exchange of news and ideas.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG