The “Immortal Regiment” is banned in Kazakhstan: officials threaten with fines and arrests for “unauthorized” marches

In Kazakhstan, a scandal is breaking out over the “Immortal Regiment” campaign. Marches with portraits of relatives who died during World War II (or simply with portraits of front-line soldiers) were invented in Russia to enhance patriotic sentiment, but spread to many post-Soviet countries. In recent years, the Immortal Regiment's reputation has been tarnished by its connection with the Kremlin: marches in many countries have come to be seen as…