Europe 1 with AFP 4:08 p.m., March 19, 2022, modified at 4:08 p.m., March 19, 2022
Russia's ally Kazakhstan has refused to allow a march against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, its organizers said on Saturday, as tensions rise in Kazakh society over the armed conflict that has prompted sanctions unprecedented Western economics against Moscow.
A former Soviet republic in Central Asia, Kazakhstan, which traditionally enjoys cordial relations with the West, is seeking a balance between distancing itself from the Russian campaign in Ukraine and maintaining its friendly ties with Moscow.
In early March, the Kazakh authorities authorized a rally of around 2,000 people in Almaty, the economic capital of the country, against the war in Ukraine.
A rally in support of the President is at the same time
But the second parade of this type was not authorized by the mayor of Almaty, which explained its decision by the fact that another rally in support of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was planned in the central square of the city. , a traditional place of demonstrations, the activists behind the initiative told AFP.
One of these activists, Alnour Iliachev, told AFP that the place was "reserved" by the president's supporters for the whole day, so no other gathering could take place there even after their departure, early in the day. 'afternoon.
Public gatherings are strictly controlled in Kazakhstan where they can only take place in designated places, with permission from local authorities.
The Kazakh Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stressed the country's neutrality in the armed conflict in Ukraine.
Kazakhstan is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Moscow-led military alliance, as well as the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).