NUR-SULTAN -- The U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan has expressed concern over the recent arrest of leading opposition figure Zhanbolat Mamai, who was placed in pretrial detention for insulting law enforcement officers and distributing "false information," charges many in Kazakhstan have called politically motivated.
The U.S. Embassy in Nur-Sultan tweeted on March 15 that "respecting free speech and allowing peaceful assembly is fundamental to a functioning democracy."
Mamai has been known for his harsh criticism of the nation's authoritarian government.
"We urge the Government of Kazakhstan to allow all citizens to peacefully express their opinions and concerns without fear of arrest or reprisal," the embassy said.
A court in Almaty ruled a day earlier that Mamai can be held in pretrial election for at least two months.
Mamai, the leader of the unregistered Democratic Party of Kazakhstan, was sentenced on February 25 for organizing an unsanctioned public event to commemorate the victims of the January anti-government protests around Kazakhstan that claimed the lives of at least 230 people.
Mamai was expected to be released on March 12 after serving a 15-day jail term. However, he was not released and was immediately hit with the additional charges.
He has been trying to register the Democratic Party of Kazakhstan, but claims he is being prevented by the government, which he says only permits parties loyal to the ruling party to be legally registered.
Kazakhstan has been run by authoritarian President Nursultan Nazarbaev and his successor, Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, since gaining its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
During their three-decade rule, several opposition figures have been killed, and many have been jailed or forced to flee the country.
U.S. Embassy Concerned Over Arrest Of Kazakh Opposition Politician
Kazakh oppositionist Zhanbolat Mamai (file photo)