[RFE/RL] A court in Kazakhstan has begun hearing a case against a Christian convert charged with inciting religious hatred. Yqylas Qabduaqasov, an active Seventh-Day Adventist, was brought to the courtroom on October 9 in handcuffs.Saryarqa District Court Judge Aqmaral Isaeva only allowed journalists to film three minutes of the trial's start and then banned any recording devices in the courtroom. Several witnesses testified that Qabduaqasov expressed ideas during Bible study sessions that sounded insulting to Muhammad and Muslims.
Qabduaqasov, who was arrested in August, pleaded not guilty. He could face up to 10 years if convicted.