Kazakhstan

Socialist jailed for protesting

AINUR KURMANOV, a well-known leader of Kazakhstan Socialist Resistance, has again been sent to jail for ten days on an administrative charge.

This was the Almatinskii Administrative Court's decision, the day after a group of residents tried to hand in a petition to the city mayor complaining about the court decision to confiscate the homes of dozens of residents (so big building corporations can take over their land).

On 25 March, there was another protest by those who do not agree with the miserly level of compensation being offered. This time, it was people from one of the more prestigious areas saying that another company had failed to even pay the minimum compensation, claiming that they had no money left. Even though no compensation was paid, the court still ordered the people to leave their homes!

The protesters demanded that the courts repeal a recent ruling by the City Akimat (Mayor) on the forced eviction of residents, which they say contradicts the constitution.

When no-one from the Mayor's office came out to accept the petition, the protesters tried to unfurl their banners. However, as soon as they started to do so, the police attacked and arrested seven residents. Next day, the protesters were tried and Ainur Kurmanov was sent to prison. No decision has yet been made about the other six.

Please send immediate protests to: The Mayor's Office, Akimat Almaty, Kazakhstan, Almaty, Pl Respubliki 4. Telephone +7 3212 2716578 or 2716538

You can directly send 'questions' to the Almata Akim's site. Please send protests that way. The address is http://www.almaty.kz/ choose English language and then 'question to Akim'.