Almaty, 4 December 1996 (RFE/RL) - Almaty city authorities say they will permit the Azamat opposition movement to hold a demonstration in the Kazakh capital on Sunday.
The approval follows a decision by authorities to prohibit a rally called for last Sunday. The opposition held an unsanctioned rally last month, after which three organizers were found guilty of disturbing public order. Two were issued warnings and a third was fined 4,800 tenge ($68).
The rallies have been called to protest difficult economic conditions in the Central Asian nation. Most of those attending last month's rally were retirees who have not received their pensions in months.
Newspaper Editor Released
The editor-in-chief of a newspaper in northern Kazakhstan's Kokshetau region was released from jail this week after being held for one year following publication of an article critical of the regional governor. Our correspondent reports that Kajibay Kabulov of the independent newspaper "Orda" was released and fully exonerated this week by a regional court. The court also lifted a ban on the newspaper's publication.