LONDON, July 4 (UPI) -- Sting has called off a concert scheduled in Kazakhstan Monday to protest repression of striking oil workers.
Several thousand workers walked out in May to fight wage cuts, and hundreds have been fired and jailed, the BBC reports.
In a statement on his Web site, the singer said Amnesty International, which he has long supported, had informed him of the "unacceptable" situation.
"Hunger strikes, imprisoned workers and tens of thousands on strike represents a virtual picket line which I have no intention of crossing," Sting said. "The Kazakh gas and oil workers and their families need our support and the spotlight of the international media on their situation in the hope of bringing about positive change."
Sting had been planning to perform at a music festival in the Kazakh capital, Astana, as part of his "Symphonicity" world tour.
He was criticized in 2009 for a concert in neighboring Uzbekistan, one of the most repressive Soviet successor states.
