A court in the East Kazakhstan region on December 12 fined Serik Ydyryshev, a member of the unregistered opposition Algha Kazakhstan (Forward Kazakhstan) party, 172,500 tenges ($377) for an online video supporting the imprisoned leader of the party, Marat Zhylanbaev. Ydyryshev told RFE/RL on December 13 that he will appeal the court decision, adding that placing a video on the Internet where you express your thoughts is not a crime but a basic right. Zhylanbaev was sentenced last month to seven years in prison on extremism charges that he rejects as politically motivated. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, click here.
