Mataev and son face lengthy jail terms

    Prosecutors in Astana have called for lengthy prison sentences for the head of the Kazakh Journalists Union and his son.
    On September 27, prosecutor Yerzhan Kurakbaev asked the judge to sentence Seitkazy Mataev to six years and eight months in prison, and his son, Aset, the director of the KazTAG news agency, to six years.
    Seitkazy Mataev has been under house arrest on embezzlement and tax-evasion charges since February.
    His son was placed under house arrest for alleged embezzlement in March. Their trial began on August 23.
    Both deny the charges, and rights groups have said Mataev is being prosecuted on trumped-up charges in response to his work as head of the Journalists’ Union.
    The trial has been delayed several times because of the 61-year-old Seitkazy Mataev's health issues, according to RFE/RL.