Kazakhstan: Farce of a trial resumed for Vadim Kuramshin

Human rights lawyer still fighting uphill battle

It is clear from reports of the resumed show trial of Vadim Kuramshin that there is a concerted attempt to put him behind bars for years. As a human rights lawyer, he has been outspoken against injustice and inhuman conditions in Kazakhstan’s prisons. Now the regime, through its puppets in the courts, wants to silence him. Please send messages demanding the dropping of charges against Vadim along the lines of that sent by The Socialist – newspaper of the Socialist Party (CWI, England and Wales).

For more details see Campaign Kzakhstan website here.

Letter to Kazakh authorities by The Socialist, paper of the Socialist Party (CWI England & Wales)

The Socialist

PO Box 24697

London E11 1YD

14 August 2012

To:

The Kazakh authorities

Judge Samat Tulesbai, presiding over the case of Vadim Kuramshin in the Zhambylskaya oblast

The Head of the Special Court for Criminal Cases in the Zhambylskaya oblast

The Head of the Criminal Court, Mr Obydov

We have received news that Vadim Kuramshin, the human rights activist and lawyer for prisoners’ rights, is still undergoing a trial that is biased, false and clearly motived by a desire to tarnish Vadim’s reputation and to imprison him. This follows a two month suspension of the jury and the trial process itself which only ended after Vadim went on hunger strike. His refusal to take food was a desperate and valiant attempt to get justice and insist on his basic democratic rights after being held in jail for six months already.

Vadim’s defence has not been able to call key witnesses, nor to cross-examine those giving statements vital to the case. The judge has so far acted on the side of the state prosecution, whilst curtailing the legal rights of Vadim’s defence.

This blatant persecution of Vadim makes it clear that there is no basis to the charges against him. Instead this show trial is an attempt to justify imprisoning an important anti-government activist.

• We demand the dismissal of the case against Vadim Kuramshin, his immediate release and the dropping of all charges against him.
• We demand that those who have tried to sentence him to years in prison on the basis of false evidence and trumped up charges should themselves be held to account for their actions.

Please inform us on progress with these demands.

Unless we hear that our demands have been met we will be using the pages of the Socialist paper to encourage our readers, in the trade unions, student organisations and many national and local campaigns, and in the over 50 countries on five continents where the Socialist is read, to bring these events before the memberships of their organisations and for protest action to be organised.

We will also continue to campaign to stop the British government or any political or business figures in Britain entering talks and/or business or political relations with the Kazakhstan regime until genuine democracy is established in your country.

Yours in protest,

Sarah Sachs-Eldridge,

Editor, the Socialist

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