ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- A court in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, has jailed eight activists over their participation in a rally demanding the immediate release of political prisoners in the Central Asian nation.
On April 25, the Almaty City Administrative Court sentenced Aigerim Tileuzhan, Alina Bermenqul, Bauyrzhan Atinbaev, Beken Beisalieva, Qonai Abdiev, and Doszhan Quanysh to 20 days in jail for the demonstration.
Ravqat Mukhtarov and Maira Ghabdullina were each handed 15 days in jail. Three more activists, Bulbul Berdiqozhanova, Esenbai Khodzhiev, and Bayan Shyrynbekova were each fined 91,890 tenges ($205).
All of the activists pleaded not guilty, but the court convicted them of taking part in an unsanctioned public event.
The activists were among dozens of protesters who gathered a day earlier in the city center and demanded the release of hundreds of men and women who were arrested during and after deadly anti-government protests in early January.
Protests in the tightly controlled former Soviet republic’s western region of Manghystau over abrupt gas-price hikes turned into unprecedented demonstrations that turned violent across the nation.
Authorities have said that at least 230 people, including 19 law enforcement officers, died during the unrest.
Human rights activists insist the number of the people killed during the violence is likely much higher.