Kazakh Authorities Register Opposition Group
March 21, 2006
The late Altynbek Sarsenbaev pictured at the funeral of another slain opposition leader, Zamanbek Nurkadilov, in December 2005 (RFE/RL)
The party, Naghyz Ak Zhol (True Bright Path), was denied registration before Kazakhstan's presidential election in December 2005, preventing it from fielding a candidate.
One of the parties joint leaders, Altynbek Sarsenbaev, was murdered in February. The authorities say he was killed by state security operatives. The motives were reportedly personal.
Another co-chairman of Naghyz Ak Zhol, Bulat Abilov, is due to return to jail soon to complete a sentence for organizing an unauthorized rally on February 26 to commemorate Sarsenbaev. Abilov was hospitalized after going on a hunger strike to protest his jail sentence.