Kyrgyz authorities have arrested two Kazakh opposition activists who are seeking political asylum in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyz lawyer Zarifa Baruzova told RFE/RL on November 1 that Askhat Zheksebaev and Diana Baimaghambetova had been charged with illegal border-crossing and arrested for two months. A year ago, Zheksebaev and Baimaghambetova were convicted in Kazakhstan of having links with banned opposition groups. Zheksebaev was sentenced to five years in prison but released on parole in May. Baimaghambetova was handed a parole-like sentence. It remains unknown why the two activists decided to seek asylum in Kyrgyzstan. To read the original story from RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service, click here.
Kyrgyz Authorities Arrest Two Kazakh Activists Seeking Political Asylum
Kazakh activist Askhat Zheksebaev (file photo)