Kazakh Mothers Protest At Forum, Bused Away To Meet Mayor

Dozens of mothers campaigning for better social care in Kazakhstan protested outside a major conference in the capital, Nur-Sultan. They demanded a meeting with interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev and former President Nursultan Nazarbaev who were due to speak at the Astana Economic Forum on May 16. Instead, authorities put the women on a bus and took them to city hall where they later met with Nur-Sultan Mayor Bakhyt Sultanov and other officials. Mothers' groups have been demanding better housing and financial support after five children from one family died earlier this year in a house fire while both parents were away working overnight shifts.