Charges against Georgii Epshtein completely falsified

Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan demands enquiry.

Following the arrest and sentencing yesterday of Georgii Epshtein, new evidence has come to light that the charges against him have been completely fabricated.

Georgii was sentenced to ten days detention following a claim by the migration police that a certain Pashaev Magamed had given evidence that Georgii was living in his flat. (Pashaev is actually the landlord of the office which is currently rented by the “Leave people’s Homes Campaign” in Almaty.)

Following the court hearing, supporters of the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan (SMK) contacted Pashaev Magamed by telephone. He declared by telephone that he had not given any evidence to the police, nor had he made a statement. He said that he did not even know who Georgii was and had never seen him. This is clearly a case in which evidence was falsified by the police.

Moreover, the trial itself was full of breaches of procedure. Georgii, “the accused”, was not given the right to use a defense lawyer. Witnesses who spoke in his support were ignored. The judge ignored the absence of a written protocol, which should have been written at the time of arrest and nor was Pashaev Magamed called to give evidence in person.

Georgii is being denied his right to appeal the sentence as to do so, he has to be given a written copy of the court’s decision and to date the copy is being kept under lock and key by the court’s staff.

Please continue to send messages of protest to the embassies in different countries and to the Prosecutor General in Kazakhstan on [email protected] and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on [email protected] demanding:

• Information of Georgii’s conditions and health, with an assurance that the food parcels are given to him without tampering;

• That Inspector of the Migration Police Ak-Hazik Korazbaev and any others involved in the falsification of evidence are immediately sacked and criminal charges lodged;

• That Georgii is immediately released.

Please send copies and messages of support for Georgii to [email protected]

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