Your people from the General Prosecutor's Office have sent me a letter that contains so-called "elucidation of the law." During my meetings with citizens I tell them about my intention to run for president at the forthcoming presidential election, they claim. Therefore, I can be charged with illegal election campaigning, they imply.

I consider this letter of the General prosecutor's Office as nothing else but the evidence that you are not ready for fair political rivalry.

The system of power that you have designed rejects free, fair and transparent elections. It is because of this the officials corrupted by permissiveness and the criminals inspired by impunity attack leaders of the movement "For a Fair Kazakhstan," beat people, organize riots and provocations - like it happened in the towns of Ust-Kamenogorsk, Shymkent, and Atyrau. It is because of this the crackdown continues against democratic forces activists and those who support them.

I would like to state that I haven't violated any Kazakh laws.

Unfortunately, I am unable to say the same about your activities for reasons as follows:

- Judging by the number of popular social promises, your address to the nation has been actually an electioneering address;

- Your trips to Kazakh regions are seen as an electioneering show, when huge funds are spent on creating a facade of "popular happiness" and thousands of employees, students and schoolchildren are forced to take part in it;

- Newspapers and television stations controlled by the government sing of you as a "second to none" candidate with no "alternative";

- Your akims, your information and propaganda groups from among state employees in every region tell people what choice they are to make at the forthcoming election;

- Your adherents are "collecting signatures" in constituencies already.

To cling to power for some more time, the ruling regime has been using all the resources and capabilities of the state.

Numerous media publications, recorded testimonies of eye-witnesses, and our everyday personal experiences testify to the above.

I am very well aware that the judicial and law-enforcement bodies - that no longer exist as independent institutions under your rule - will hardly tell you about all this. Therefore, as a former prosecutor general of Kazakhstan, I would like to ELUCIDATE:

You and your people violate the law and electioneer much before the date stipulated by the law. Thus, you have violated paragraph 2, article 50 of the Constitutional Law "On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan."

To avoid any misunderstanding or guesses, I would like to officially state: I do intend to run for Kazakh President.

I will run in order to challenge the corrupt authoritarian system you have built, to stop the outrage and impunity in our state!

I will run to say NO to the unjust economy based on despoliation of the national riches that has made those in power extremely rich and has left all the remaining Kazakhs poor and broke!

I will run for President in order to offer our society a new Constitution that will enable the nation to form honest and responsible authorities, build a just society and bring prosperity and true stability to our state!

Zharmakhan Tuyakbai