Dictatorship Kazakhstan 2013: Imprisoned lawyer Vadim Kuramshin awarded in Paris with prize given to Nelson Mandela in 1985

The Guardian/Campaign Kazakhstan: "Nelson Mandela was the first recipient in 1985 of the Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize. Coincidentally it was on the day of his death,  5 December, that the ceremony took place in Paris for this year’s winner, Vadim Kuramshin. Like Mandela, when he was awarded this prize, Vadim Kuramshin is being held in prison under a brutal dictatorship.




 --- “Vadim has played a courageous role in standing up for human rights, despite the huge self-sacrifice this has led to. He has consistently stood on the side of those victims of torture, discrimination and victimisation by a regime determined to keep power in its own hands by any means necessary.”

http://campaignkazakhstan.org/index.php/2013/12/11/imprisoned-kazakh-activist-awarded-prize-given-to-nelson-mandela-in-1985/


Vadim's mother Olga Koltunova is writing:
http://socialismkz.info/?p=10197


Pictures from the ceremony:
http://npravo.org/?p=230

The Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/04/kazakhstan-human-rights
"Vadim has worked for many years to expose the ill-treatment of prisoners in Kazakhstan, including in the notorious prison EC 164/4 where he is currently being detained. He has faced torture and abuse for exposing the atrocious conditions and appalling treatment of detainees, including by leaking footage of police brutality.

In a trial without jury, which has been condemned as breaching Kazakhstan's own court procedures, Vadim was pronounced guilty of the extortion of a government official on 7 December 2012 and sent to prison for 12 years. The charges are widely perceived to be false, an attempt to discredit his reputation and silence his opposition." (See the list of supporters from human rights organizations and lawyers).


"We were born to fight" (Екатерина Курамшина)
http://npravo.org/?p=211



Earlier on my blog:
http://minkristnasamhllsblogg.blogspot.fi/2013/11/det-finns-ingen-rattvisa-i-varlden_25.html





 Do you know about Zhanaozen?
http://campaignkazakhstan.org/index.php/2013/12/11/two-years-since-zhanaozen-massacre-fight-for-justice-and-freedom-in-kazakhstan/


Photo: Internet