#kazakhsta

The government’s reaction to election protests obfuscates the numerous nature of civic activism in Kazakhstan.

City buses serve two uses in Kazakhstan: Shifting people close to urban regions for a tiny cost and transporting tranquil demonstrators to the nearest – or farthest – law enforcement station. Security forces, deployed by the 1000’s in Kazakhstan’s main metropolitan areas, arrested somewhere around 1,000 folks above the system of a few times, beginning from June 9, when the region elected Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in a extremely criticized presidential election.

The bulk of the folks arrested have been “helped onto” buses and police vans. Individuals who resisted had been dragged and wailed forcefully, regardless of their age or affiliation. In reality, on election working day, many journalists have been detained, sparking harsh criticism past the usual condemnation of the restrictions to flexibility of assembly in the state. The upcoming day, just one journalist following a march for the duration of the night time was overwhelmed up by law enforcement alongside with some demonstrators.

Assessing the violence, gurus stated that for the most portion, the safety staff showed restraint, some thing Tokayev urged all through the 3 days of protests. Nonetheless, dragging unarmed, tranquil demonstrators and bystanders into police vans can’t be considered nonviolent habits, by any evaluate.

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The biggest demonstrations happened in the metropolis of Almaty, the country’s previous cash and most populous urban heart. Nur-Sultan, the lately renamed capital metropolis, saw much less demonstrations, albeit arguably much more arrests. The prosecutor-standard mentioned that the safety forces detained around 500 people throughout the very first working day of protests and lamented that a few policemen were being hurt in the scuffles. In an formal video clip, the federal government showed a few tense moments in which policemen ended up strike. The destiny of the dozens hurt as a end result of police violence remained unknown to the public.

A French Revolution?

Talking from exile in France, fugitive banker and self-appointed opposition chief Mukhtar Ablyazov urged people to assemble on the streets and squares demanding modify. His stay-streamed films are the purpose Fb and YouTube have been mainly inaccessible in the past year in Kazakhstan every evening. His connect with for motion was listened to by the authorities, who had an quick time flattening the variety of protest sentiments on to Ablyazov’s movement, the outlawed Democratic Decision of Kazakhstan.

Any person who transpired to be at the places Ablyazov remotely made for protest was taken absent and thought of, albeit not formally, “influenced by overseas forces,” a shorthand for Ablyazov. This narrative, made use of also by so-known as opposition applicant Amirzhan Kossanov to the bewilderment of his supporters, diverted concentrate from a complete assessment of the several faces of the opposition and the nascent civic activism in the place. Oyan, a new civic movement that sprung out of numerous personal actions in the previous months, publicly rejected any ties with Ablyazov.

When questioned if he claimed responsibility for the demonstrations, Ablyazov washed his palms of the functions, indicating that “I never experience responsible or guilty for the arrests, simply because the govt has to answer for this.” In the exact same job interview with U.S.-funded Current Time, Ablyazov also mentioned he represents the only opposition movement in the region, yet again implying that the discontent could only uncover an substitute in him. Ablyazov are not able to return to Kazakhstan as a free person, as he is needed for fraud related to his preceding banking action.

Flawed Elections, Once more

At his inauguration on June 12, Tokayev explained the electoral process was exemplary and democratic, in stark distinction with independent studies from the OSCE’s Office environment for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), a watchdog that the federal government invited to observe the elections. In its preliminary report, ODIHR claimed the election “was tarnished by clear violations of basic freedoms as well as stress on vital voices.”

Violations of electoral strategies were being nothing new. The country’s polls have under no circumstances been deemed “free and fair” by worldwide observers. This year, according to diplomatic resources, the government engaged in a tug-of-war with ODIHR, due to the fact the watchdog experienced initially refused to go and keep an eye on the election. “The authorities invited them, but ODIHR explained that they wouldn’t go for the reason that they under no circumstances saw any improvement in the electoral approach and regarded a different mission to Kazakhstan as a squander of time and sources,” a international diplomat claimed in April, after the federal government announced the early election for June 9. In the conclude, ODIHR resolved to go in and ended up disappointed to see their prophecy verified.

The crackdown on protests following the inauguration was a further demonstrate of power by the govt, as swarms of safety staff dotted key assembly details in Almaty and Nur-Sultan, exactly where in the close only a scant number of demonstrators arrived. Images of dozens arrested, irrespective of whether they actively protested or not, created the rounds across social media, which was reactivated following quite a few hours of blackout. But the scale of the demonstrations appeared to have waned as law enforcement and yellow vest-wearing journalists outnumbered the couple precise demonstrators.

The authorities, however, demonstrated how difficult it has became to retain a finger on the pulse of the population. Early studies of officers informally pushing for a curfew in Almaty and planning fire trucks and armed autos to counter big-scale actions betrayed a misjudgment of the people’s intentions. As long as the authorities protect against the existence of a system for the totally free expression of views, this record is sure to repeat by itself.

The post Kazakhstan Turns a Blind Eye to the Opposition Riddle appeared first on Defence Online.

The protest mood seems probable to increase as Kazakhstan ways snap presidential elections.

On May 1, authorities in Kazakhstan arrested 80 persons from among the the few hundred protesting in Nur-Sultan and Almaty. The protests were ostensibly referred to as for by Mukhtar Ablyazov, a fugitive ex-banker and all-close to nemesis of the Kazakh political establishment centered on Nursultan Nazarbayev, but tapped into broader grievances.

As the region hurtles toward a snap presidential election established for June 9, little protest actions have fed the collecting of larger crowds, in spite of arrests.

On April 21, all through a marathon in Almaty a pair of activists hung a banner that examine “You are not able to operate from the truth” in Russian, adopted by hashtags reading, in Kazakh “For Reasonable Elections” and in Russian, “I have a preference.” The two activists — Asya Tulesova and Beibarys Tolymbekov — had been provided 15-day jail sentences and a few other individuals, who filmed the motion, have been leveled fines.

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If everything, the government’s response only provoked further more acts of protest.

On April 29, Roman Zakharov hung a banner from an overpass in Almaty which explained “The only supply of the point out electricity is the persons.” The line is a direct estimate from the Kazakh Structure. Zakharov was arrested and uncovered guilty of “minor hooliganism,” specially littering.

These exact sentiments have been echoed by the crowds on Wednesday in Almaty’s Gorky Park, according to Eurasianet’s Joanna Lillis. Amongst the slogans shouted in Almaty in accordance to, Lillis’ and RFE/RL’s studies, ended up cries of “boycott,” “We have a preference!” “Wake up Kazakhs” and “old person out.”

At the heart of this modern wave of protests is the ongoing political transition activated by Nazarbayev’s surprise resignation on March 19. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev turned interim president and then shortly after named for early elections, in which he’s working as the prospect from Nazarbayev’s Nur Otan occasion.

It is becoming named a “political transition” but very tiny is established to alter. Nazarbayev retains substantial access to the levers of ability, his eldest daughter is now Chair of the Senate (Tokayev’s former position and constitutionally next-in-line for the presidency) and Tokayev, a long-time Nazarbayev crony, is exceedingly most likely to “win” the approaching election. The other candidates are minimal-recognized and it appears to be not likely that any will existing a legitimate problem, especially supplied that they’ve only acquired about a month to go just before election day.

Kazakh authorities could be photoshopping away 65-12 months-aged Tokayev’s turkey neck in formal pics, but all those protesting this week are unlikely to be fooled into wondering he’s a younger person. In the same vein: Holding an election in June won’t convince everyone that Kazakhs have a decision in the matters of who operates their region.

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A handful of individuals will technically operate for the Kazakh presidency, but are they just “puppets” in a perform?

As it stands now, a handful of individuals will contest the approaching snap presidential election in Kazakhstan. But that variety belies a greatly-held belief (between analysts at the very least) that only performing President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stands a opportunity of successful the June 9 poll.

As of April 28, the Kazakh Central Election Commission mentioned that eight candidates experienced submitted the essential materials to contest the election. Unbiased candidates are not authorized, provided a 2017 constitutional referendum mandating that all nominees be set forth by an formally registered political bash or a public association.

On April 29, one of the candidates — Talghat Erghaliev, nominated by the Union of Builders but also a member of the Ak Zhol occasion — withdrew at the behest of Ak Zhol, which had chosen Daniya Yespayeva as its nominee. Yespayeva is the initially girl to run for president in Kazakhstan. Ak Zhol, which holds seven seats (of 107 full) in the decrease household of the Kazakh parliament, the Majilis, is often referred to as a pseudo-opposition social gathering, placing forth tiny useful opposition to the federal government.

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Amongst the other candidates are Sadybek Tugel, an editor nominated by the Eagles of the Great Steppe movement. Tugel is reportedly editor-in-main of a well-known science journal, very first vice president of the Affiliation of Countrywide Sports activities, and president of the Federation of Countrywide Equestrian Sporting activities. Eurasianet’s Joanna Lillis referred to as Tugel a “overall unfamiliar.” Also preparing to contest the presidency is the chairman of the Territorial Affiliation of West Kazakhstan Region’s Trade Unions, Amandeldy Taspikhov, nominated by the Federation of Trade Unions.

Then there’s Jambyl Akhmetbekov, a member of parliament for the only other occasion with Majlis illustration, the Communist People’s Celebration (7 seats), and Toleutai Rakhimbekov, nominated by the Auyl (which suggests “village” in Kazakh) bash. In the previous parliamentary election, in 2016, Auyl hardly crested 2 percent of the nationwide vote, not sufficient to get into parliament.

Amirjan Kosanov, an opposition determine and journalist, was nominated by the Destiny of the Nation movement.

This list of candidates is all but meaningless. As RFE/RL put it, all the candidates apart from Tokayev, who has been nominated by Nur Otan — President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s occasion — “are either relatively mysterious political figures nominated by pro-governing administration events and groups, or do not have enough time to marketing campaign for the early poll.” 

Tokayev, who assumed the presidency when Nazarbayev resigned on March 19, known as previously this thirty day period for the presidential election to be moved ahead. The polls were being at first scheduled for April 2020, when Nazarbayev’s fifth expression was set to conclusion. The connect with for a snap election considerably impeded the opportunity for opposition forces to muster for a legitimate run at the major workplace.

The Nationwide Social Democratic Occasion (ZhSDP), referred to by RFE/RL as “the only registered party in the region that positions alone as opposition to the government,” made the decision final week to boycott the election. In asserting its final decision, ZhSDP claimed in a statement that participating the election would injury the party’s popularity. The party echoed remarks created by analysts that the events taking part in the election are “puppets” in a engage in designed to glimpse like a democratic process.

Let us hardly ever forget Mels Yelusizov, a registered prospect for the presidency in the 2011 election. He was requested soon after casting his possess ballet who experienced voted for. “Nazarbayev,” he mentioned. Nazarbayev may perhaps not be on the ballot this time all around, but Tokayev is Nazarbayev’s selection. The some others are Potemkin candidates, cardboard cutouts positioned on the stage to seem like real actors in the democratic perform.

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Водопад Кайрак

Продолжим наше путешествие по увлекательным местам Казахстана.

GPS координаты 43.186205, 77.733392

У сляния рек Киши-Тургень и Тургень расположилась небольшая зона отдыха с жилими домиками и баней. Выше этой зоны автомобильная дорога прерывается, т.к. в 2003 году паводки смыли автомобильный мост. Далее движение по дороге можно осуществлять только пешком, преодолев реку Тургень по временному пешеходному мостику. Грунтовая автомобильная дорога строилась для будущего горнолыжного курорта в урочище Ойжайлау. Во время строительства на вспомогательной дороге было построено восемь мостов до слияния реки Тургень с вытекающей из урочища Ойжайлау речкой. Строительство дороги прервалось в начале 90-х годов. Примерно в километре выше от слияния рек, в конце дороги находится третий водопад, называемый Кайракский.