Kazakh Opposition Party, Newspaper Suspended

Algha Deputy Chairman Mikhail Sizov says he received the court decision suspending his party on November 24.

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- The Kazakh authorities have suspended the activities of an unregistered opposition party and an opposition newspaper.

The deputy chairman of the Algha (Forward) party, Mikhail Sizov, told RFE/RL on November 26 that he had received the decision from an Almaty court on November 24.

The party's activities are reportedly suspended indefinitely while investigations are under way.

The deputy chief editor of the opposition "Vzglyad" (Viewpoint) newspaper, Olesya Shchelkova, told journalists on November 26 that her publication was also suspended by court order.

Last week, the Almaty prosecutor's office asked a court to designate Algha, the People's Front movement, and several opposition media outlets as extremist.

The move follows the conviction last month of Algha leader Vladimir Kozlov for his role in a deadly protest in the western oil town of Zhanaozen last year.