[Click here to read Part 1 of this travelogue.]

Who is Zhovtis?

In recent days, the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan met in a yurt in Orenburg. Three questions particularly worried Nazarbayev: about join control of the state border between the countries; about military-technical cooperation; about the joint construction and operation of the 3rd block of the Ekibastuz GRES-2 [State District Electrostation–Trans.] in Kazakhstan.

In consideration of the fact that things in the economy of Russia aren’t going well, President Dmitry Medvedev said that “with investments and innovations it is hard for now”. An understandable business that these presidents did not talk about such “trifles” as political prisoners and human rights.

In the meantime, civic actions for the release of human rights advocate Yevgeny Zhovtis, locked up recently in jail, is picking up steam.