Dauir is owned by Nazarbaev's sister-in-law, Svetlana Nazarbaeva. It discontinued the printing of the seven newspapers on 1 January, saying it was changing equipment.
However, the Committee to Protect Journalists quotes local Kazakh media activists as saying the newspapers were being harassed for their critical coverage of Nazarbaev, who has ruled Kazakhstan since Soviet times and won a landslide reelection victory in December.
(AFP)
The Voting In Images
Workers at Almaty polling station No. 310 registering election monitors prior to the opening of voting on December 4
RFE/RL's complete coverage and background of Kazakhstan's presidential election on December 4, 2005.