Authorities in Kazakhstan have reportedly detained dozens of protesters participating in unsanctioned rallies organized by an opposition movement banned by the government.

According to Radio Liberty’s Kazakh Service, Kazakhstan's Interior Minister says about 100 people were detained during unsanctioned opposition rallies on September 21.

Erlan Turghymbayev told reporters in Nur-Sultan on September 23 that nine of the protesters were sentenced to several days in jail, while six were fined for "taking part in illegal public gatherings." The others were released, he added.

Turghymbayev said the protesters were detained after rallying in seven or eight towns and cities, but gave no further details.

On September 21, police reportedly detained dozens of people at opposition rallies in Nur-Sultan, Almaty, and several other towns and cities in the oil-rich Central Asian nation.

The rallies were reportedly organized by Kazakhstan's Democratic Choice, which is banned and whose leader, Mukhtar Ablyazov, lives in self-imposed exile in France.  He is wanted by Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine on suspicion of embezzling some $5 bil