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måndag 4 mars 2013

"Free" media behind the iron curtain in Kazakhstan - Vadim transferred; his life is in great danger

Trying to survive in Kazakhstan (video) "As long as we are resisting we are alive".

"The next day Ainur was severely beaten by unknown persons on the threshold of his own home. Bleeding profusely, he was able to make it to his apartment and then spent several days in hospital." (Update: Vadim Kuramshin - torture testimony)


March 3, 2013
"We look at the media landscape in a country where covering the opposition amounts to political extremism."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_IvMnsFp3Wo
SEE VIDEO IN ENGLISH!


December 19, 2012
http://www.nhc.no/no/nyheter/Zhanaozen+%E2%80%93+NHC+concerned+with+crack-down+on+independent+voices+one+year+after.b7C_wlfG4n.ips
"One year after Kazakhstani security forces shot 16 people following a strike in the oil town Zhanaozen in Western Kazakhstan, the authorities are intensifying the pressure against alternative voices in the country. ---
-The Norwegian Helsinki Committee is concerned with the pressure on independent voices in Kazakhstan, in particular the development indicating that the activities of Kazakhstani civil society activists abroad are subject to repercussions from the authorities. That this approach also includes events under the auspices of large international organisations like the OSCE is clearly not in line with the image the Kazakhstani government is seeking to promote internationally and should be halted immediately, says Engesland."


September 21, 2009
http://www.imfmetal.org/files/09113016561079/profile.pdf
The following happened to Ainur Kurmanov: "The next day Ainur was severely beaten by unknown persons on the threshold of his own home. Bleeding profusely, he was able to make it to his apartment and then spent several days in hospital.That vicious attack, which has attracted international attention, is an indicator of the atmosphere of persecution and terror against workers and social activists prevailing in Kazakhstan – a country which, don’t forget, is supposed to chair the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in 2010."



Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human rights and rule of law
http://www.bureau.kz/data.php?page=0&n_id=5615&l=ru

"Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human rights and rule of law is defending freedom of expression and thought, conscience and belief. Belivers are less likely to commit crimes and more loyal to the state than others, says the leader Евгений Жовтис. The regime has a suspicious attitude towards religion because earlier in the Soviet union atheism was the main "religion". The state still think it must be in control of everything, even religion. The authorities believe that registration is the most important tool of ideological control. The authorities (the regime, the dictator) in Kazakhstan is apparently afraid of the "orange revolution" and the "Arab Spring", of the civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGO's). Nevertheless Kazakstan has signed documents regarding freedom of assembly (OSCE). Moreover, a court in Astana placed the Muslim Brotherhood on the list of extremist organizations. Evgeni ( Евгений Жовтис) is wondering how it could be possible that the Kazakh government cooperates with Mohamed Morsi, and has formal diplomatic relations with the extremists? So it is a very arbitrary and inconsistent governance in Kazakhstan.

Religious education must be allowed in schools so that the children can take part in different views and religions. We must give them information and let them have their own opinion and teach them how to interpret this in a good way. Sex education that was banned in the Soviet union is necessary and the solution is not to forbid it. The schools in Kazakhstan are not teaching critical thinking and debate skills, instead the teacher's word is law. Public debate is always better than to turn of the lid or to control media. These are shortsighted methods that makes room for underground activity."




Lawyer and human rights defender Vadim Kuramshin - imprisoned for 12 years:
http://campaignkazakhstan.org/index.php/2013/02/25/london-campaign-update-2/
"Vadim Kuramshin, the much-persecuted human rights lawyer, has had his appeal against a 12 year prison sentence rejected. Vadim’s ‘crime’ is to be a lawyer defending  the rights of workers and prisoners and attempting to expose bribery and corruption by the authorities. The court that upheld the 12 year sentence behaved in a way totally reminiscent of the old Stalinist courts.
This is a complete travesty of justice. Vadim was held and tried over a seven month period last year. In August, despite being put under huge pressure by the police and the regime, the jury found Vadim innocent of all but one minor crime, for which he was given a one year conditional sentence and released. He was then arrested again in December after the prosecutor appealed against the sentence. The new sentence of 12 years was handed down in one day, and has now been confirmed by the appeal judge."


March 4, 2013 - Vadim Kuramshin tranferred to the North of Kazakhstan (Taraz) to one of the worst places...
Today on March 4, 2013 Vadim Kuramshin was transferred (from the detention center in Petropavlovsk) to the detention center in the North of Kazakhstan; the Taraz colony of special regime EC 164/4 in Gorny (Jaman-hill).
He was convicted on false charges for 12 years in the special regime colony with confiscation of property.


During the recent years Vadim informed the society and the international community about the lawlessness in Russian prisons, particularly in the north of Kazakhstan and Karlag areas and in the northern colonies. Vadim Kuramshin managed to turn public opinion, drawing attention to a running problem of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners by informing domestic and international media. Now the regime wants to get rid of him sending him to the same prison colonies that he has criticized.

http://forum-msk.org/material/news/9818579.html


Вадим Курамшин этапирован в одну из самых ужасных колоний Казахстана
http://socialismkz.info/?p=7160

Update:
http://www.kuramshyn.org/blog/2013-03-07-279
Ett livstecken! Men vilket liv?! Besökare har kunnat bekräfta att Vadim efter omständigheterna är "ok". Han har tydligen inte blivit misshandlad i Petropavlovsk. Han uttryckte sin tacksamhet över alla som stöder honom och håller ett öga på hans situation. Han bad sin mor att vara stark. Det är okänt hur länge han ska stanna i Petropavlovsk. Det återstår att hoppas och tro att hans tid senare i koloni ЕС 164/4 п. Горный (Gorny) inte ska innebära tortyr eller sexuella övergrepp, allt det som han själv har fördömt. Det här är goda nyheter så här långt (tack Gud!) MEN det gäller att uthålligt följa med situationen och hoppas att detta bara inte var någon form av tillfällig uppvisning. Det verkar vara trångt i cellen och om någon verkar glad i ett Kazakiskt fängelse kan man vara säker på att det är någonting skumt på gång....

What a life!! Visitors were able to confirm that Vadim is "ok", at least for now. He has apparently not been beaten in Petropavlovsk. He expressed his gratitude for all those who support him and keep an eye on his situation. He encouraged his mother to be strong. It is unknown how long he will stay in Petropavlovsk. Let's hope and believe that his time later in the colony ЕС 164/4 п. Горный (Gorny) should not involve torture or sexual abuse, that he has condemned. This is good news so far (thank God!) BUT it is very important to follow the situation and hope that this just was not some kind of temporary exhibition. (It seems to be quite crowded in his cell)


It is necessary to follow what is happening; if someone looks "happy" in a prison in Kazakhstan there is something going on...

I know that his friends are very worried about his transferring to EC 164/4.

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(Picture of human rights defender and lawyer Vadim Kuramshin via socialism.kz.info)

http://www.kuramshyn.org/blog/2013-03-05-278
Vadim's transfer to ЕС 164/4 п. Горный (Gorny) Public attention can save his life. There is great concern for his health and life

Kazakhstans prisoners cry for help - Vadims torture testimony:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10952054
Read (if you can) about some of the reasons why Vadim cried when someone asked him about torture...and yet he said that "his top priority is to ensure that prisoners are treated fairly." 



http://o53xo.ojsxg4dvmjwgs23bfvvxultjnztg6.erenta.ru/2jmj7l5rSw0yVb-vlWAYkK-YBwk=bmV3cy9wb2xpdGljcy8yODk5NC8
Protests in the streets against the diminishing support for mothers



"Atmosphere of quiet repression"
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/droi/dv/201/201010/20101025_9-2hrwatmos_en.pdf
"In Kazakhstan, journalists operate in an environment of anxiety, faced with constant intimidating lawsuits and, not infrequently, direct threats to their person."




Foto: KL

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