Parliament 29 Dec approved plan to hold referendum to extend Nazarbayev presidency until 2020 and cancel next 2 presidential elections. Trial opened 9 Dec against opposition presidential hopeful Zhasaral Quanyshalin on libel charges; investigation of tax evasion continued against other opposition presidential candidate Vladimir Kozlov. In capacity as OSCE chair govt 1-2 Dec hosted first OSCE summit in decade, marred by watchdogs’ allegations of rights abuses in Kazakhstan. Summit failed to adopt Action Plan due to disagreement over references to regional conflicts including issue of Moldova’s Transdniestria region, Georgia’s break-away territories, and Armenia-Azerbaijan dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. Almaty court 14 Dec declined to grant refugee status to 3 Uzbek citizens; some 29 Uzbek asylum seekers claiming religious persecution in home country face extradition to Uzbekistan on religious radicalism charges.

Opposition figure and leader of recently established Long Live Liberty party Zhasaral Quanyshalin 3 Nov announced will run for president in 2012. Reports of more cases of self-mutilation in prisons over conditions. Govt 12 Nov signed agreement with U.S. on use of Kazakh airspace for support of operations in Afghanistan. Astana court 22 Nov sentenced 6 Hizb-ut-Tahrir members to 4-7 years for advocating terrorism, social hatred.

Reports emerged govt early month deported some 130 Kyrgyz migrant workers in alleged expulsion campaign that started after June unrest in Kyrgyzstan. Leader of unregistered opposition party Alga announced will run for president in 2012 election.

Advisor to President Nazarbayev 16 Sept announced he will run for another term in 2012 presidential elections. In late month visit UN Special Rapporteur on Torture criticised state of penitentiary system following more self-mutilation cases by inmates.

2 inmates died, 101 injured, 80 hospitalised 11 Aug after maiming themselves in prison riot in town of Granitny, northern Kazakhstan. Followed 9 Aug self-inflicted injury by 6 other inmates in protest of conditions in same prison; and 30 July incident involving 6 in Almaty prison. Prominent prisoners’ rights activist sentenced to jail 29 Aug on allegedly politically motivated charges of hooliganism.

At OSCE ministerial meeting 16-17 July near Almaty, govt secured commitment to hold OSCE summit in Astana by end of year. Customs union with Russia and Belarus launched early month. Court 16 July sentenced opposition politician Aidos Sadykov to 2 years for hooliganism and resistance to law enforcement authorities; supporters claim charges politically motivated.

Govt, currently chair of OSCE and member of CSTO, 14 June said no need for international intervention amid deadly violence in Kyrgyzstan; 17 June denied reports of entry ban for ethnic Uzbeks fleeing fighting. During 12 June visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao, countries signed deal to build and finance Kazakh section of gas pipeline network between Turkmenistan and China. Almaty court 16 June ruled accusations of embezzlement made by fugitive businessman Ablyazov against President Nazarbayev’s son-in-law unfounded. Activist Yermek Narymbayev sentenced to 4 years jail 23 June for anti-Nazarbayev slogans at May Day demonstration.

Govt 1 May dispersed May Day demonstration by opposition in Almaty, detained most protesters. Russian PM Putin 28 May announced Russia, Kazakhstan to launch bilateral customs union 1 July. Lower house of parliament 12 May, upper house 13 May approved constitutional amendment granting President Nazarbaev status of “leader of the nation” giving him ultimate say on all policy decisions, lifetime immunity from investigation and prosecution.

In 11 Apr meeting with U.S. President Obama on sidelines of nuclear summit in Washington, President Nazarbayev granted U.S. overflight rights for military cargo to troops in Afghanistan; Obama praised country’s leadership on nuclear non-proliferation; raised human rights issues, case of rights activist Yevgeny Zhovtis; did not commit to convening OSCE summit. Kazakh Supreme Court 26 Apr upheld 3 Sept sentence against Zhovtis, said further appeals possible. President Nazarbayev 27 Apr blamed ousting of President Bakiyev in Kyrgyzstan on poverty in country, praised Kazakhstan’s stability, evolutionary democratisation.

During 17 March visit to Tashkent, President Nazarbayev secured endorsement for holding OSCE summit in exchange for support of Uzbekistan’s opposition to Kyrgyz and Tajik hydropower projects. Tussle between govt and former oligarchs intensified. Prosecutor general 4 March levelled fresh charges of money laundering against ex-Kazatomprom chief Mukhtar Dzhakishev, sentenced to 14 years for embezzlement and corruption 12 March.