Rights watchdog urges Kazakh authorities to protect the right of protesters

AKIPRESS.COM - Kazakh authorities should urgently take meaningful action to permit and protect the right of protesters to peacefully express opinions without fear of harassment, detention, and abuse, the Human Rights Watch said in a statement.
Hundreds of protesters were arrested on election day on June 9 and dozens of others were arrested today, June 10 in Kazakhstani cities. The protesters were calling for a boycott of the snap election, which they allege was staged to put in office a politician loyal to 78-year-old leader Nazarbayev, who resigned in March, Al Jazeera reports.
The snap presidential election in Kazakhstan ended on June 9 with the voter turnout of 77.4%. Interim president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev won the election with 70.76% of vote.