Kazakhstan detains and frees three Uzbek refugees

Kazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB) temporarily detained three Uzbek refugees in Almaty on September 6.

The refugees were registered with the office of the UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, in Almaty.

One of the refugees told RFE/RL that about 30 armed men raided the Uzbek refugees' house on murder and weapon possession charges.

The three refugees were taken to the KNB office and interrogated until 3 a.m., one refugee said.

The KNB then released the refugees and apologized for the incident.

The refugees, who asked to remain anonymous, said that one refugee's nose was broken during the detention.

Cesar Dubon, a UNHCR representative in Kazakhstan, told RFE/RL that he will send a note of protest to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The KNB said that the raid was a standard document control and denies claims by the refugees that they were beaten during the raid.