KAZAKHSTAN: ALMATY NOTES, APRIL 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001129 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: ALMATY NOTES, APRIL 2007 Ref: A. Astana 1033, B. Astana 834, C. Astana 691 ¶1. The "Almaty Notes" series is intended to maintain focus on developments in civil society, the media, and the opposition in Kazakhstan's "southern capital" following the move of the Embassy to Astana. Journalist Still Missing -------------- ¶2. Journalist Oralgaysha Zhabagtaykyzy, last seen March 30 in Almaty (Ref A),remains missing. Zhabagtaykyzy's relatives believe that her disappearance is related to her articles for the "Zakon I Pravosudiye" (Law and Justice) independent weekly. The two articles, entitled "What are the Links between the Murder of an Invalid and the Embezzlement in KazakhMys Corporation?" and "Bloody Arbitrariness, or Who is Behind the 'Makhnovtsy' Brothers" were published on March 7 and March 26 respectively. In her first article, the journalist wrote about a resident of Dzhezkazgan City, Sagit Shakputov, who reportedly was killed by a hit man, Vita Makhmakhanov. Someone allegedly hired the killer to conceal embezzlement in the KazakhMys Corporation. The second article was about the Kazatkom conflict. Zhabagtaykyzy and her colleague Mukhit Iskakov traveled to Almaty from Astana on March 29 to collect additional information about the Kazatkom conflict for another article. ¶3. On April 18 a group of Mazhilis deputies sent a request to the Procurator General, National Security Committee and Interior Ministry asking them to ensure special control over the investigation into the case of the missing journalist. (Interfax, April 18) Aliyev Versus Nurbank Managers -------------- ¶4. The case of former Nurbank chairman Abilmazhin Gilimov (Refs B and C) has been passed to the Medeu district court in Almaty, the Vremya weekly reported on April 12. Gilimov has reportedly been accused of inciting and organizing the March 31 attack on Nurbank's office. The officers of the special police squad who participated in the attack have been charged with abuse of power. President Nazarbayev's son-in-law Rakhat Aliyev is the main shareholder of the bank. ¶5. The Medeu district court also continues to examine the libel lawsuits filed by Rakhat Aliyev against the wives of the Nurbank former managers, Armangul Kapasheva and Nadira Bazarbayeva. In early February, Kapasheva and Bazarbayeva accused Aliyev of "depriving their husbands of freedom." In response, Aliyev filed libel lawsuits against them. Recently there have been rumors about possible reconciliation between the parties. However, Mrs. Kapasheva has not confirmed the reconciliation. The last court hearing on April 18 did not take place because witnesses from both parties failed to appear in the court. (www.zonakz.net, April 19) Alga Party's Problems with Registration -------------- ¶6. In an attempt to attract public attention to its problems with registration, in late March in every region of the country the Alga party filed applications to demonstrate on April 12 in front of the local offices of the Ministry of Justice. Out of 17 applications, 10 were denied and seven received no response. Alga then decided to organize public events on April 12 to hand over petitions instead. However, on the eve of the event in some regions, including Shymkent, Kzylorda, Taraz, Aktobe and Petropavlovsk, local procurators visited the Alga offices to serve the party with warnings against the actions. Alga nevertheless went through with the planned events In Almaty and Astana cities the events went peacefully, but in other regions they were disrupted by the local authorities. In the cities of Petropavlovsk, Kostanay and Rudniy nine Alga activists in all were fined for organizing the unsanctioned actions. (Alga party press releases, April 12 and 18) ¶7. Alga filed its most recent application for registration on November 9, 2006. According to the Law on Political Parties, the Ministry of Justice was supposed to make a decision within one month. On March 8, the MOJ's Registration Committee suspended the registration process in order to check the submitted documents. Since then the registration has remained suspended. (Alga party press release, April 12) Almaty Residents Protest Intensive Construction -------------- -- ASTANA 00001129 002 OF 002 ¶8. The city administration has denied Almaty city residents' request to hold a rally in the center of the city, the head of the committee, "Let's Defend Our City", Dametken Alenova, told a press conference in Almaty on April 10. The city administration offered the outskirts of the city for the rally, but the organizers of the rally rejected the offer and have filed a new request for a rally in the center of the city on April 29. The Let's Defend Our City Committee opposes the demolition campaign and what they perceive as overly intensive construction in Almaty. (Kazakhstan Today news agency, April 10) Women Object to Eviction from Dormitory -------------- ¶9. On April 11 about 30 women, tenants of the Architecture Academy dormitory in Almaty, picketed the city administration office. They were protesting against the eviction of their families from the dormitory. The deputy city akim received the women, but denied their right to stay in the dormitory. The women threatened to picket the Eurasia Media Forum and to seek asylum in other countries. ¶10. A month ago, court bailiffs attempted to evict forty families from the dormitory belonging to the academy. The tenants opposed the eviction and on April 4 announced a hunger strike. The tenants maintained they had been living in the building for many years and had the right to privatize their living quarters. (Channel-31, April 11) Draft Bill on Opposition Activities -------------- ¶11. The National Social Democratic Party of Kazakhstan organized on April 12 in Almaty a round table discussion of its draft bill on opposition activities. The draft bill provides for guarantees that opposition parties will have representatives on election commissions and that opposition factions' representatives in Parliament shall chair at least a third of parliamentary committees. According to the bill, if there is a block of opposition parties in Parliament, it will be allowed to nominate the deputy speaker of each house. Some participants expressed doubts that Parliament would accept the bill for consideration and support it. (Press release, April 12) Self-Mutilation in Corrective Facility -------------- ¶12. On April 15 in the high security facility in Zarechnaya, Almaty Oblast, 70 inmates slashed their stomachs and wrists to protest conditions in the facility. Twelve inmates were hospitalized. Criminal cases have been filed against the participants of the action, a representative of the oblast prosecutor's office reported. Recent amendments to the Criminal Code provide for 7 to 10 years imprisonment for those who participate in self-mutilation and disobedience actions. (Interfax news agency, April 15 and 20) Police Officers Involved in Brawl Arrested -------------- ¶13. In Almaty three former policemen who participated in a fight with local residents in the Bodrym caf have been arrested, the deputy head of the Almaty police told the Kazakhstan news agency on April 14. During the March 25 conflict in the caf the former policemen killed a visitor and harshly beat two others. A probe into the case is underway. ORDWAY