Watchdog

ALMATY -- Zhanbolat Mamay, an activist with the Rukh pen Til (Spirit and Language) youth movement, has been released from pretrial detention and allowed to fly back to Almaty.

Mamay was arrested on June 15, together with opposition politician and theater director Bolat Atabaev, on suspicion of "instigating social conflict" during a violent clash between police and protesters in the western town of Zhanaozen in December 2011.

At least 16 demonstrators were killed by police.

The men were held at a prison in Aqtau. Atabaev was released on July 3 after signing a letter of repentance.

Mamay's father, Mamay Bekhozhiev, speaking to RFE/RL, declined to provide details of his son's release.

He said everything will be explained at a press conference on July 13.

The OSCE representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic, has deplored a July 10 physical assault on Kosovar journalist Halil Matoshi.

Matoshi is a columnist with the daily "Koha ditore" in Pristina.

Mijatovic said in a statement that "violence against journalists is an attack against free expression and the society as a whole."

Matoshi was attacked on the evening of July 10 by three unidentified assailants.

The journalist, who is known for his investigative reporting and his criticism of political figures, managed to escape and was later treated in a hospital.