ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- The Court of Appeals in Almaty has upheld a six-month suspension of the activities of Kazakhstan's Communist Party, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.
On October 4, the Almaty City Court ruled that the party violated the law on public organizations by creating -- together with the unregistered Algha (Forward) party -- the People's Front movement, which has been monitoring the ongoing mass strike by oil workers in the western province of Manghystau.
The People's Front also intended to take part in parliamentary elections due in August 2012 by including its candidates on the list of the Communist Party.
In addition, Communist Party leader Ghaziz Aldamzharov was found guilty of illegal "participation in an unregistered public movement" and fined 15,100 tenges ($100). He appealed that verdict, which he said was politically motivated.
Judge Erbol Zhanghazin told journalists on October 24 that Aldamzharov has lost his appeal.
The Communist Party of Kazakhstan, the successor to the Soviet-era Communist Party, is one of the largest registered opposition parties in Kazakhstan with some 54,500 members.
Read more in Kazakh here
On October 4, the Almaty City Court ruled that the party violated the law on public organizations by creating -- together with the unregistered Algha (Forward) party -- the People's Front movement, which has been monitoring the ongoing mass strike by oil workers in the western province of Manghystau.
The People's Front also intended to take part in parliamentary elections due in August 2012 by including its candidates on the list of the Communist Party.
In addition, Communist Party leader Ghaziz Aldamzharov was found guilty of illegal "participation in an unregistered public movement" and fined 15,100 tenges ($100). He appealed that verdict, which he said was politically motivated.
Judge Erbol Zhanghazin told journalists on October 24 that Aldamzharov has lost his appeal.
The Communist Party of Kazakhstan, the successor to the Soviet-era Communist Party, is one of the largest registered opposition parties in Kazakhstan with some 54,500 members.
Read more in Kazakh here
