Baku, Azerbaijan, May 21
Trend:
Kazakh Minister of Information and Communications Dauren Abayev said that he will deal with the situation of the detention of journalists of a number of agencies and media outlets in the country's capital, RIA Novosti agency reported May 21.
It was earlier reported that journalists of a number of information agencies have been detained in Astana and soon released, including the correspondent of Russia Today.
Abayev also said that the ministry will conduct work with law enforcement agencies in order to prevent such situations in the future.
In Kazakhstan's several cities initiative groups have submitted applications to the authorities for permission to hold rallies on May 21 to protest against the adoption of the amendments to the Land Code, which envisages expanding lease opportunities of agricultural lands by foreigners. All applications were rejected, but some activists called on supporters to hold rallies without permission of authorities.
Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev imposed on May 5 a moratorium on the four rules of the Land Code, which caused a wide public resonance, and ordered to form a commission on land reform, which included the leaders and activists of civil society institutions.