In a statement published in \"Respublika\" on 17 December, the opposition Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan party called for \"civil disobedience\" to \"remove the family clan that has usurped power.\" Asserting that \"2004 parliamentary elections killed the last hope for the possibility of political reforms in the country,\" the statement lambasted \"the ruling clan headed by President [Nursultan] Nazarbaev\" for persecuting the opposition with \"unconstitutional and illegitimate methods.\" Dubbing the president and parliament \"illegitimate,\" the opposition party stated: \"In our activities we will proceed from how human rights and freedoms are understood in free countries, not from decisions made by thievish governors and corrupt courts. We view these authorities as anti-state, and we are ready only for talks on their removal from power without resorting to any violence, and on their being pardoned for the crimes they have committed.\" (RFE/RL)