Independent inquiry into death of presidential critic sought

The mysterious death over the weekend of an outspoken critic of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has prompted calls for an independent investigation, less than a month before the country's upcoming presidential elections. "The circumstances are extremely suspicious," Eugeniy Zhovtis, director of Kazakhstan's International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, said from the commercial capital, Almaty, on Monday, calling for a thorough and independent inquiry into his death. On Saturday, Zaman Nurkadilov, 61, a former Almaty mayor and government minister, was found shot dead three times in his home in what police have ruled as an alleged suicide. But according to Zhovtis and others who knew him, that conclusion seemed remote. "I have many doubts about this," Zhovtis said. "He had no financial or personal problems that I know of," he said, asking: "What would the reason be behind such a suicide?" That's a good question and one being asked a lot this week by members of Kazakhstan's fledgling opposition movement. "He had three bullets in him. Two in the left part of his chest or heart and one in his head - all of which went through," Petr Svoik, deputy head of the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan opposition party said from Almaty. "I'm not a forensic expert, but this seems hardly like a suicide." Others were more direct, however. "Knowing Nurkadilov's political position and his forthright manner to express his views, we cannot exclude that his murder was politically motivated," the BBC quoted opposition leader Gulzhan Yergaliyeva as saying. Nurkadilov had launched a public campaign against Nazarbayev, accusing him of authoritarianism and calling on him to step down. Working to establish a commission to investigate alleged corruption by Nazarbayev, in an interview with the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWFPR) in April 2004, it was clear what drove him. “I will seek the president’s resignation and the announcement of a new presidential election,” he told the London-based group. Moreover, the former emergency situations minister claimed he had documents showing bribery and corruption involving the president. Earlier this year, however, Nurkadilov, who had compared Nazarbayev to Romania's ousted dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, was convicted of slandering the Kazakh leader after alleging he was responsible for the July 2004 death of an opposition journalist. In the forthcoming 4 December polls, Nurkadilov had been backing Zharmakhan Tuyakbai, the candidate of opposition movement For a Just Kazakhstan. As for what impact, if any, his death will have on the election that remains to be seen. According to Zhovtis, voting may be better than last year's parliamentary elections, but given incidents of intimidation and harassment brought upon the candidates, as well as their lack of equal access to the media, it remained a source of concern. "Equal access to the voters must be made available for both the incumbent and opposition candidates," the Kazakh activist said, reaffirming his organisation's concern over freedom and fairness in the upcoming polls. According to Svoik, the murder of such a public figure on the eve of the presidential elections was significant. "There is a whole range of intriguing details related to the personality of Nurkadilov, the posts he held in the government, how he joined the opposition, and what he was trying to say in opposition and what he promised to publicise," the deputy head said. "All of this makes the situation tenser." Nazarbayev, who has led the oil-rich Central Asian state since the country gained its independence following the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1991, is seeking another seven-year term in office in December.