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DemocracyAlertsFrom time to time, the World Movement for Democracy issues alerts concerning participants and other colleagues who are, or may be, facing personal danger due to their work on behalf of democracy and for whom a vigorous response from around the world may be critical. To see previous alerts go to www.wmd.org/democracyalerts/democracyAlerts.html. (December 12, 2002) Journalist Detained by Kazakh Government Independent Kazakh journalist and human rights activist, Sergei Duvanov, was arrested and detained on October 28, 2002 in the capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty. He has been charged with raping a fourteen-year old girl. However, according to BBC News and other sources, human rights activists in Kazakhstan and abroad believe that these charges are fabricated and are the latest attempt by the government to impede Mr. Duvanov's efforts to bring out the truth about government abuses of power. The journalist was taken into custody only hours before he was scheduled to leave for the United States for several speaking engagements. During his detention, Duvanov launched a hunger strike to protest his arrest, which ended when the authorities force fed him. His family and friends are concerned about his state of health following the hunger strike, and believe that he was subject to excessive force. Duvanov is a widely respected editor of the bulletin of the International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Almaty. Over the past several months he has experienced systematic harassment by the government. In August 2002, Duvanov was attacked by unidentified assailants prior to his trip to Warsaw to the meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, where he had been invited to speak about human rights abuses in Kazakhstan. He suffered serious injuries, including severe head trauma, extensive cuts, and bruises. Prior to this attack, the authorities had brought charges against Duvanov for his Internet postings about anti-corruption investigations in the U.S. and Switzerland involving President Nazarbayev and his family members. In his postings, Duvanov has written about government attempts to silence journalists covering the investigations. For information and ways to encourage authorities to conduct a fair, just, and transparent investigation into the case, go to:
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