Five women protesting the confiscation of their property by the Kazakh government have started a hunger strike.
The women gathered in a house belonging to one of the protesters, Altyn Chervalieva, and announced their hunger strike on August 6.
Chervalieva's house and land on the outskirts of the capital, Astana, are due to be confiscated by the government on August 8.
The women spent several days and nights in front of the Kazakh government building before the chief of the presidential office, Nurlan Nyghmatulin, agreed to meet with them on August 1.
The meeting did not bring any results, the women said.
The women are demanding proper compensation for their property which has been or will be confiscated by the government for "state necessity."
They say land is often confiscated from people and used to build private homes for government officials or businessmen.
