Opposition Journalist Beaten Up In Kazakhstan

A Kazakh journalist was seriously beaten by unknown assailants near his apartment last night.

Bakhytzhan Nurpeisov, 19, works for the independent newspaper "Public Opinion."

The attackers did not touch his money, but took his tape recorder, camera, and his media ID.

He was hospitalized with a concussion, head wounds, and a fractured cheekbone.

Kazakh Journalists' Union Chairman Seitkazy Mataev told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service that beating independent journalists in Kazakhstan has become a trend, adding that the union urges the government to investigate the case thoroughly.

Rozlana Taukina, the chief editor of "Public Position," told RFE/RL that "we link this incident to his professional activity because when the attackers start beating him they said something about 'politics.' We believe it happened because of his last article in our newspaper."

Nurpeisov is the nephew of opposition activist Marzhan Aspandiyarova.