A court in Kazakhstan’s northeastern city of Oskemen handed prison terms to two local residents on June 11 on charges of separatism and calls to seize power. The Prosecutor's Office in the East Kazakhstan region said the two, whose identities were not disclosed, were sentenced to five years in prison each for statements they made online calling for a referendum on incorporating the region into the Russian Federation and to take power by force if the referendum's goal is not achieved. Several Kazakh citizens were handed prison terms on separatism charges since Russia launched its ongoing invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
