Opposition activist Madina Koketaeva has been sentenced to 15 days in jail for attending a peaceful protest in Almaty against the detention of activists who were detained during unrest at the city's airport. Zhanar Balgabaeva, Koketaeva's lawyer, said her client was handed the sentence on January 25. Koketaeva says she was beaten during her arrest -- which coincided with the arrival of President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev on January 24 -- to the point where she needed hospitalization. "They are not going to let me go until Toqaev leaves the city," she told RFE/RL's Radio Azattyk. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, click here.
Kazakh Opposition Activist, Detained Ahead Of Toqaev Visit, Sentenced To 15 Days
Kazakh opposition activist Madina Koketaeva (file photo)