A prominent leader of the Azamat opposition movement in Kazakhstan, Petr Svoik, has been detained in Almaty on charges of inciting national conflict and insulting an official.

A journalist in the city told the BBC that the charges related to an article published some months ago.

It's the second time Mr Svoik -- a former cabinet minister -- has been detained since the presidential election campaign got underway.

Correspondents say he has been an outspoken critic of the Kazakh president, Nursultan Nazarbayev.