Kazakh journalists, activists detained, websites blocked

Security forces have detained hundreds of journalists, activists, and demonstrators in various Kazakh cities amid a call by the opposition for nationwide demonstrations against changes to Kazakhstan's Land Code, RFE/RL reports.

Dozens of reporters were detained in the capital, Astana, as well as in Almaty, Karaganda, Uralsk, Shymkent, and the western city of Atyrau in the government crackdown.

More than 1,000 activists and people in squares or on streets close to city squares were also apprehended by police.

Some journalists -- including several from Interfax and RFE/RL - reported being released after being held by police for a few hours.

Kazakh Information and Communications Minister Dauren Abaev said on May 21 that he will "work to find out why [the journalists] were detained."

The websites of RFE/RL's Kazakh Service were being blocked and access to the station's Facebook and YouTube sites has been intermittent since May 20.

Hundreds of people attempted to gather at the central Republic Square in Almaty - the country's largest city - but were either detained or forced away by police who had cordoned off the square and confronted the demonstrators on the streets leading to the square.