KAZAKHSTAN: ALMATY NOTES, FEBRUARY 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000522 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: ALMATY NOTES, FEBRUARY 2007 ¶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. Trial of True Ak Zhol Leader Bulat Abilov -------------- ¶2. On February 14, the Almalinskiy district court resumed the trial of Bulat Abilov and his two business partners, Baurzhan Karabekov and Ualikhan Baybosyn. Pol FSN attended the hearing. All three defendants pled not guilty. Karabekov's lawyer requested an adjournment until March 10 to allow time to scrutinize the evidence in the case. The judge denied the request, prompting the lawyer to move to exclude the judge on the grounds of bias toward the prosecution. The district court chairman rejected the motion. ¶3. After considering motions, the court questioned two plaintiffs out of the twelve present. The first plaintiff, an 81-year old woman, presented documents showing that she was actually a shareholder in a different investment fund. The second plaintiff, Aleksander Bogachyev, testified that Almaty Financial Police officers had encouraged him to file a claim against Abilov. According to Bogachev, they said "Don't you think it would not be a bad idea to get 50,000 tenge ($400) by mail. Otherwise, while you will are working hard, Abilov will be relaxing in the Bahamas." Both plaintiffs renounced their claims. The judge and procurators appeared confused, and the hearing was suspended until February 20. Events in Memory of Sarsenbaiuly -------------- ¶4. The opposition in Almaty organized a number of events in memory of murdered True Ak Zhol leader Altynbek Sarsenbaiuly around the one-year anniversary of his February 2006 murder. Pol FSN attended a February 6 hearing of the Public Committee set up a year ago to follow the murder investigation. At the hearing, opposition leaders, the lawyers for the victims, and Sarsenbaiuly's brother stressed that the crime had not been properly investigated and solved and those who organized the assassination had not been identified. The hearing concluded that the case should be categorized as an act of terrorism and re-investigated because "the crime was aimed at undermining public security and intimidating the population." ¶5. On February 10, a mass gathering in memory of Sarsenbaiuly was held in Almaty in front of the Academy of Sciences. The city administration sanctioned the gathering. Pol FSN attended the rally, which was organized by the opposition and attracted about 1,000 participants. The opposition leaders and public figures who addressed the meeting included Zharmakhan Tuyakbay, Bulat Abilov, Oraz Zhandosov, Tulegen Zhukeyev, Tolen Tokhtasynov, Asylbek Kozhakhmetov, Rysbek Sarsenbayev, Yevgeniy Zhovtis, and Irina Savostina. Rysbek Sarsenbayev stated "I suspect President Nazarbayev and members of his family, Rakhat and Dariga, as well as Nurtay Abykayev of being involved in the assassination." None in the crowd appeared shocked by the statement. Several policemen were observing the rally, which proceeded peacefully. Participants approved a resolution demanding the re-investigation of the case, the dismissal of the Procurator General and Minister of Interior for failing to solve the crime, the disbanding of the "Arystan" special National Security Committee unit, and re-naming a street in Almaty after Altynbek Sarsenbaiuly. Trial of the "Shanyrak Defenders" -------------- ¶6. The trial of the "Shanyrak Defenders" continues in the Almaty city court. At a hearing of the case on February 8, the lawyers for the defense filed a motion asking the court to call the mayor of Almaty City as a witness. They also asked for the video recorded during the riots to be played. Both motions were rejected. (TV Channel-31, February 8) Two Young Uighurs of Chilik Convicted of Hooliganism -------------- -------------- ¶7. On February 8, the court in the settlement of Chilik found two young residents guilty of inciting a November 2006 fight between young Kazakhs and Uighurs. Last year some press reports described the fight as an interethnic conflict. However, the court found it was hooliganism and sentenced each defendant to 18 months in prison. According to a press report, some residents of the settlement were not satisfied with the ruling, saying it was too light. (TV ASTANA 00000522 002 OF 002 Channel-31, February 8) Academicians on Kazakhstan-Russia Relations -------------- ¶8. "Sometimes the Russian elite and the journalists get the impression that the Kazakhstani elite is not really interested in developing and strengthening our integration relations," said Professor Vlasov of Moscow University at a round table on Kazakhstan-Russia relations held in Almaty on February 7. Vlasov also raised the issue of ethnic Russians in Kazakhstan. Burikhan Nurmukhamedov of Ak Zhol party responded by saying that "Russia is currently impeding Kazakhstan's development." Nurmukhamedov cited the energy sector as an example. "Kazakhstan failed to answer the German Chancellor's question about our readiness to diversify energy flows going to the European Union, because of the fear of damaging relations with its northern neighbor." A journalist reporting on the event wrote that the harsh reaction was triggered by the fact that Professor Vlasov raised the issue of Russians in Kazakhstan. (Panorama, February 9) Almaty District Akim Accused of Bribery -------------- ¶9. On February 7, the Turksib district court in Almaty examined the case of the former akim of the district, Vladimir Vasilyev. In September 2006 Vasilyev was accused of bribery under Article 311 of the Criminal Code. The procurator in the case asked the court to sentence Vasilyev to nine years in prison with confiscation of his property. However, the court found Vasilyev guilty of only abuse of power (Article 307 of the Criminal Code) and gave him a three-year suspended sentence. (Rakhat TV channel, February 7) New Monthly Newspaper -------------- ¶10. Respublika weekly has launched a new project called "Respublika in the Regions," a monthly newspaper that will focus on events and developments in the regions. It is believed that Turan-Alem Bank chairman Mukhtar Ablyazov, a former opposition leader, is behind Respublika. Centers for Teaching Kazakh Language -------------- ¶11. Central Asian University in Almaty has set up a center for free teaching of the Kazakh language. In the future there will be a net of 16 centers all over the country. (Yuridicheskaya Gazeta daily, February 8) Suspended Sentence for Hizb ut Tahrir Member -------------- ¶12. On February 8, the city court in Almaty handed down a one-year suspended sentence to accused Hizb ut Tahrir member Rustem Masimbayev . Masimbayev was detained in September last year while distributing leaflets at the central market. (TV Channel-31, February 8) Two Well-known Public Figures Pass Away -------------- ¶13. On February 20, two well-known public figures, Sabit Zhusupov and Bolatkhan Tayzhan, passed away of heart attack. Zhusupov was 60 years old. He was a sociologist, political scientist and the president of Kazakhstan Institute of Social-Economic Information and Prognostication founded in 1998. From 1997 to 1998 he was the deputy director of the Presidential Institute for Strategic Studies. Previously, he worked for Information-Analytical Center at the Presidential Administration headed by Marat Tazhin. Tayzhan, 66 years old, was a retired career diplomat who served as Kazakhstan's ambassador to a number of countries: Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Syria, Libya and Malaysia. Since 2005, Tayzhan had headed a patriotic-nationalist movement, "Ult Tagdyry - Yel Tagdyry" (Future of the Nation - Future of the Country). ORDWAY