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Opposition Activists Detained In Almaty


Mukhtar Dzhakishev
Mukhtar Dzhakishev
ALMATY -- Several Kazakh activists have been detained in Almaty while campaigning for the release of jailed former uranium company head Mukhtar Dzhakishev, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

Stella Ogai, a spokeswoman for the unregistered Algha (Forward) party, told RFE/RL that Algha Chairman Vladimir Kozlov was among the detained activists, who were distributing leaflets calling for Dzhakishev's release when they were arrested.

Dzhakishev is the former director of the state uranium company KazAtomProm. He and several other managers of the company were arrested last year and charged with various crimes.

Dzhakishev was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to 14 years in jail earlier this month.

Algha activists say the case against him is politically motivated and are demanding a "fair trial for Dzhakishev and his associates."

The detained activists were officially charged with violating laws on holding public gatherings.
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