Seven activists in Astana who protested against Kazakhstan's entry into the Eurasian Economic Union (EES) have been sentenced to jail terms of up to four days.
In addition, three journalists who covered the May 27 protest in the town of Ilyinka, near Astana, were sentenced to four days of administrative arrest, including RFE/RL correspondent Orken Zhoyamergen.
Zhoyamergen was found guilty of minor hooliganism late on May 27.
In a statement, RFE/RL's Editor In Chief Nenad Pejic condemned Zhoyamergen's arrest as a violation of media freedom. "He should be released immediately together with the other journalists," Pejic said.
Police initially detained 20 activists who had gathered in Ilyinka to plan a protest action scheduled for May 29, the day when Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev is expected to host his Russian and Belarusian counterparts -- Vladimir Putin and Alyaksandr Lukashenka -- and sign an agreement on the creation of the EES.
Half of the detained men and women were later released.
In addition, three journalists who covered the May 27 protest in the town of Ilyinka, near Astana, were sentenced to four days of administrative arrest, including RFE/RL correspondent Orken Zhoyamergen.
Zhoyamergen was found guilty of minor hooliganism late on May 27.
In a statement, RFE/RL's Editor In Chief Nenad Pejic condemned Zhoyamergen's arrest as a violation of media freedom. "He should be released immediately together with the other journalists," Pejic said.
Police initially detained 20 activists who had gathered in Ilyinka to plan a protest action scheduled for May 29, the day when Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev is expected to host his Russian and Belarusian counterparts -- Vladimir Putin and Alyaksandr Lukashenka -- and sign an agreement on the creation of the EES.
Half of the detained men and women were later released.
