Kazakhstan's Democratic Forces Forum

SolDat newspaper's trial postponed again
Reporters criticized President Nazarbayev

Corespondents of RFE/RL report that trial against SolDat newspaper scheduled for today, January 16, was postponed. Judge Baqytzhan Shoshyqbayev of Almaty's Zhetysu District Court, said that the decision to postpone the trial was motivated by the fact that lawyer of Karishal Assanov had not got acquainted with the case thoroughly yet. A well known politician, a dissident Karishal Assanov and SolDat newspaper's Editor-in-Chief Ermurat Bapi are officially accused of hurting dignity and honour of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

In summer last year Karishal Assanov's article criticising President Nazarbayev was printed in SolDat newspaper. But the newspaper with the article had never reached Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan's customs officers stopped the newspaper on its way to Kazakhstan from Russia and impounded all the copies. January 24 was announced as the trial's new date.

RFE/RL, 16 January 2001