Whipping Up Support: Were Kazakh Students Forced To Attend Ruling Party Forum?

Kazakhstan's ruling Nur Otan party held a forum in Nur-Sultan on June 7 in support of its presidential candidate, interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev. The event was attended by both Toqaev and former President and party leader Nursultan Nazarbaev, as well as by many students. Some of students said they were "forced" to participate in the forum by university authorities. Representatives of universities and Nur Otan rejected such statements. Kazakhstan will hold a snap presidential election on June 9.