Kazakh Authorities Again Seize Opposition Newspaper

In early November, all copies of "Juma Times” were seized for what authorities said was "deliberately false" information that harmed the reputation of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev.

Editors at the paper say they were given no official reason for the latest seizure.

The paper had carried front-page allegations about manipulation in the presidential elections held on 4 December.

Opposition newspapers faced repeated harassment and seizures ahead of the vote, which gave Nazarbaev another seven years in office.

In October, Kazakh authorities seized tens of thousands of copies of the opposition newspaper "Svoboda Slova" after it reported on the business activities of Nazarbaev's youngest daughter, Alia Nazarbaeva.

The official reason on that occasion was that "Svoboda Slova" had impugned the honor and dignity of the president.  

(AP)