Police In Almaty Detain Three Opposition Activists

Erlan Qaliev

Police in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, have arrested three activists of the unregistered opposition Algha (Forward) party.

One of the detained activists, Erlan Qaliev, told RFE/RL that the three activists were detained on March 6 while distributing leaflets publicizing a planned March 24 rally to commemorate victims of the violence in the western city of Zhanaozen.

Security forces and police shot dead at least 16 people and injured some 100 during a protest by striking oil workers in Zhanaozen in mid-December.

Algha's leader, Vladimir Kozlov, was arrested in January in connection with the Zhanaozen unrest and charged with inciting social hatred.