Nursultan Nazarbaev signed a decree on 6 December instructing the Central Election Commission to set up rules for electing the heads of oblasts, towns, and villages starting in 2005, Khabar TV reported. The decree provides for mayoral elections in Astana and Almaty in August 2005. At present, oblast and city heads are appointed, and the opposition has long demanded that they be elected. President Nazarbaev also signed a decree allowing human rights ombudsmen to take part in court proceedings and request prosecutors to check the legality of court verdicts. (RFE/RL)