AKIPRESS.COM - Three women who took part in an anti-government protest are under house arrest on suspicion of belonging to an extremist organization, police said Sunday, a week ahead of elections in the authoritarian state, AFP reports.

Gulzipa Dzhaukerova, Zhazira Demeuova and Oksana Shevchuk had "continued to systematically encourage and participate in anti-social actions inspired by the prohibited extremist organisation" despite a warning from police, a statement said.

A Kazakh court deemed the group, the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan, to be extremist last year in a move rights groups say has broadened a crackdown on opponents to the hardline government.

The movement is led by long-ruling strongman Nursultan Nazarbayev's exiled opponent, Mukhtar Ablyazov.

Kazakhstan appears to be tightening the screws on opponents to the government ahead of a June 9 election that will be the first since independence 29 years ago not to feature Nazarbayev.

Tokayev is expected to cruise to victory with little opposition.