Noted Kazakh Journalist Again Handed 20-Day Jail Term On Libel Charge He Rejects

Noted Kazakh journalist Amangeldy Batyrbekov was sentenced to 20 days in jail on October 9 in the southern town of Saryaghash for publishing "false information" about a manager of a local prosecutor’s office. Batyrbekov rejected the sentence and told RFE/RL, he will appeal it. In July, Batyrbekov served a 20-day jail term for insulting a local lawmaker. The Almaty-based media rights watchdog Adil Soz (A Just Word) called the journalist’s incarceration in July "arbitrary" and urged the authorities to release Batyrbekov, who has faced legal proceedings on what they called politically motivated libel charges in the past. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, click here.