Recent statements and actions by local Kazakh authorities against a Hare Krishna community outside of Almaty and actions to penalize minority religious communities for unregistered religious practice run counter to OSCE norms and Kazakhstans stated commitment to interreligious tolerance. On March 20. President Nazarbaev praised Uzbek President Islam Karimovs handling of unrest in Andijon in May 2005. Praise for the Andijon massacre that left hundreds dead in Uzbekistanand which moved the OSCE. the U.S. Government and international organizations to call for an independent. impartial investigationare hardly the "reforms" one expects of a country that hopes to chair the OSCE. The forced repatriation of Uzbek refugees to Uzbekistan was equally alarming. Just today. Kazakhstans upper house passed a highly restrictive media law that has been criticized by the OSCEs Representative on the Media and the U.S.
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refugees