Photo: RFE/RL

In Kazakhstan, young activists are fighting for the first truly free elections since 1989.

“So two of them are already in jail”, – the journalist writes the German newspaper Die Tageszeitung (inopressa.ru) Julia Boksler.

The agenda of the police, quickly adopted judicial decisions, arrests – the news today come from Kazakhstan. On 1 may the police violently dispersed demonstrators here.

“This provoked a wave of protests, two young activist – Asya Tuleshova and beybarys Tolymbekov. 21 April during the marathon in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, they were holding a banner. On it was written: “the truth will not run away”. On the banner, there were also hashtags #adilsailayushin (#secondneighbor) and #openantivirus, – transfers the edition. – Two activists were arrested during a hastily executed process sentenced to 15 days of arrest for violation of order of holding meetings”.

In March the resignation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who ruled the country since 1989. “Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Jomar, acting President, is a candidate from ruling party “Nur Otan”. He is unlikely to give the opportunity to speak to alternative candidates – in this the experts agree”, – the newspaper notes.

In an open debate that erupted in Alma-ATA after the arrest of activists Toleafoa and By the political analyst, OSCE Dimash Alzhanov “confirmed that in Kazakhstan there are elections, but no choice.” “None of the previous elections in Kazakhstan have not been recognized by the OSCE as fair. The whole political landscape is spurious,” he said.

Your banner continues Boksler, Tuleshova and Tolymbekov expressed the feelings of many of the Kazakhs, “who dares to Express their opinion outside of social networks.” “The fact that arrests, not to mention the significant error in the proceedings, unjustified in the case of peaceful expression of opinion, I think not only thousands of supporters of the activists. Tatyana Chernobyl, an expert on the issue of human rights, said: “No wonder in the statement, Amnesty International called them prisoners”.

“Tuleshova – granddaughter of the poet Ilyas Dzhansugurov , national hero of Kazakhstan Uraz Dzhandosov. Both became victims of Stalinist repression and were shot in 1938. This fact alone causes resentment among many usually indifferent Kazakhs. After all, almost every Kazakh family suffered from Stalin’s terror. From 1930 to 1933 38% of the population died from famine,” the article says.

“2019 was announced in the Kazakhstan youth year. And here it is, the youth who wants to see what she can change in this country. The result after the marathon on 21 April is as follows: six convicts, two of them are in jail, one went on hunger strike, arrested nearly 80 protesters. (…) This is the twist, whereby a progressive youth is found not only in popular cafes, but in the dark corridors of court buildings?”, – asks Boksler.

“It is hardly possible to track all the indignant voice of Kazakhstan. But in the profiles of Instagram and Telegram channels sometimes striking two new words: Qazaq Koktemi “Kazakh spring”, – the journalist notes.

“It seems that in this steppe Central Asian country seeking to clean the image, willing to consider itself democratic and lend in the international arena the image of the “neutral” state, (…) blowing a new political breeze, writes Die Tageszeitung in conclusion. – No wonder recently there have also become popular words of the newly elected President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelenskyaddressed to post-Soviet countries: “Look at us! All things are possible!”