Kazakhstan: Embassy protests over jailing of opposition activist

Lively pickets in Berlin and Stockholm

Protest messages to the Kazakhstan authorities over the arrest and jailing of ‘Kasakhstan 2012’ opposition activist, Esen Ukteshbayev, are being sent from all around the world. In addition, protest actions have been organised. Below are reports of two public lobbies held yesterday in Berlin and Stockholm.

Berlin

A picket was held outside the embassy of Kazakhstan in Berlin, Germany, on 30 March, protesting against the jailing of well known opposition activist, Esen Ukteshbayev. Our banner called freedom for all political prisoners in Kazakhstan and supported solidarity with trade union activists and socialists in Kazakhstan. After speeches in support of Esen and the opposition’s campaign for a boycott of forthcoming presidential ‘elections’.

Officials at the embassy were angry because people passing by were informed by us about the true character of the Kazakhstan regime. We demanded to talk to the ambassador Nurlan Onzhanov. We were told that he is not in Berlin currently. A representative came out of the embassy building to speak to us. We forcefully explained the reasons for our protest and gave him a protest letter. We also mentioned the role of the ‘Kasakhstan 2012’ opposition. Not surprisingly, he attempted to reply that we are liars and that we should visit Kazakhstan before making criticisms against the regime. We countered this and made clear that activists in Kazakhstan fully informed us about the situation. We pledged to follow closely events in Kazakhstan and to continue with protest actions, if necessary.

Stockholm

The coming presidential ‘elections’ in Kazakhstan, in April, are completely undemocratic. This was the main message from a protest outside the Foreign office of the Swedish government, on Wednesday 30 March.

The demands of the protesters were for the immediate release of Esenbek Ukteshbayev and for an end of the Kazakhstan authorities’ harassment of activists.

There is no Kazakh embassy or consulate in Sweden, so a letter of protest was given in to the Swedish Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt. The protest has to be officially registered. We await a reply. The letter of protest also highlighted the demands of the opposition movement in Kazakhstan, for a boycott of the ‘elections’, nationalisation of the main industries under democratic public ownership and management, and for a democratic socialist Kazakhstan.

Our protest picked up interest from all quarters, including a man from a Russian television team who helped the protesters take photographs.

Special financial appeal to all readers of socialistworld.net

Support building alternative socialist media

Socialistworld.net provides a unique analysis and perspective of world events. Socialistworld.net also plays a crucial role in building the struggle for socialism across all continents. Capitalism has failed! Assist us to build the fight-back and prepare for the stormy period of class struggles ahead.
Please make a donation to help us reach more readers and to widen our socialist campaigning work across the world.

Donate via Paypal

Liked this article? We need your support to improve our work. Please become a Patron! and support our work
Become a patron at Patreon!

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*


March 2011
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031