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UN expects impartial, transparent trial of Zhanaozen riot participants

Several dozens of people will stand trial, which starts this month

ASTANA, March 13 (Itar-Tass) — The United Nations expects an impartial and transparent trial of participants in the Zhanaozen riots of December 2011, when 16 people died and dozens were injured in riots involving fired oil workers.

It is very important to have an impartial trial over the Zhanaozen events and to establish genuine reasons for the disturbances, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Miroslav Jenca told Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov on Tuesday.

He said the UN could render assistance to the analysis of the situation in western Kazakhstan. On one hand, there were riots; on the other hand, it is important to evaluate the role of law enforcers and possible mistakes, he noted.

Jenca views the Zhanaozen events as a complex problem and says it would be a blunder not to consider it in a broad context. The United Nations may help find ways to avoid similar tragedies in the future, he said.

Jenca visited Zhanaozen in order to evaluate the situation first-hand. He said he was impressed with the scale of assistance and attention given to the city.

The Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office reported the end of investigation into the Zhanaozen case. Several dozens of people will stand trial, which starts this month in Aktau, the administrative center of the Mangistau region.

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