Suspended Kazakh Opposition Newspaper's Brochures Confiscated

"Vzglyad" deputy editor Olesya Shchelkova says the publication appeared as a brochure with a changed title in order to avoid a lawsuit.

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Police in Kazakhstan's largest city have confiscated all copies of a suspended opposition weekly.

"Vzglyad" (Viewpoint) was published on November 28 under a different name and format in Almaty, after a court suspended it on November 26 following a request by prosecutors to designate two opposition groups and several opposition media outlets as extremist.

"Vzglyad" deputy editor Olesya Shchelkova told RFE/RL the publication appeared on November 28 as a brochure with the changed title "NeVzglyad" (Not-A-Viewpoint) in order to avoid a lawsuit.

However, Shchelkova said police confiscated all 99 copies of the brochure right after they were delivered to a newsstand in Almaty.

Kazakh laws allow the publication of fewer than 100 copies of print media without registration at the Information Ministry.