Repression in Kazakhstan

Update 6 January 1998 -

The trial of Ionur Kurmanov, Sergei Kolokolov and Vasilii Nikolaev

[Traduzione in lingua Italiana]

Date: Tue, 6 Jan 1998 15:09:39 +0300 (WSU)
From: pabgem@glasnet.ru

On 26th December, the trial of CWI member Ionur Kurmanov and his comrades
Sergei Kolokolov and Vasilii Nikolaev was adjourned, after 5 days until 19th
January.

The two were arrested on 19th September and have been held in appalling
conditions since then. The trail was adjourned because of the serious
illness of Sergei, who was diagnosed as suffering from extreme kidney pain
and swelling of the urinary tract. Even though temperatures on that day were
40 degrees Celsius below zero, the judge refused to allow his mother to give
him warm clothing, saying she would have to wait until the next visiting day
in 2 weeks. Eventually an ambulance was called, the trail adjourned, and
despite a request from Sergei's advocate to release him on bail, he was sent
to a prison hospital. Local supporters think his kidney problems are related
to the ill treatment he has suffered in prison. Even if not due to direct
physical mistreatment, the conditions they are held in are inhuman.

Sergei had a confession forced out of him in May after he was threatened
with a twenty year prison sentence. Ionur has not confessed and does not
accept he is guilty. Having been held for three months awaiting trial, he
declared a hunger strike on 1st December, which he continued until the 23rd
December, when he announced its suspension until sentence is passed. If he
considers the sentence unjust, he will reinstate the strike. Clearly his
health is badly damaged. He was shaking continually and his eyesight has
become very bad.
The two have been charged with 4 serious offences, each of which carries a
sentence of 5-15 years. To justify these charges it is alleged that they
painted graffitti throughout the town on one night in May, and on the same
evening someone (the police do not know who) phoned the City Council
buildings with a bomb threat. None of the witnesses have been able to
identify Ionur, Sergei or Vasilii. The only two pieces of material evidence
presented by the police (red paint on Sergei's shoes and Ionur's
fingerprints on one of the leaflets) have been discredited. The forensic
expert was only able to identify the paint as of a similar type, not
necessarily identical and it was shown that Ionur's fingerprints appeared on
the leaflet when he was handed it during investigation.
However, it is clear that the authorities are attempting to send Ionur and
Sergei away. Two other leading opposition figures, one a well known author
have been imprisoned in Almata for 15 days. They have sent messages of
support to Ionur. In court were leaders of the Workers Movement
(Solidarity), representatives of the Communist Party at national and local
level, fellow workers and the Uralsk Representative in the National Parliament.

Ionur, who is only 20 years old has been active in strikes at his factory,
the main factory in Uralsk for three or four years. He was elected as
Secretary of the Kazakhstan Young Communists in May and at the end of
December, was elected Secretary of the Regional Committee of the Communist
Party of Kazakhstan. He has been very active in building the CIS section of
Youth against racism in Europe.

We are asking all to do all that they can to keep up pressure on the
Kazakhstani regime. Protests outside embassies and UN delegations are having
a big effect. Letters of protest have come from all over the world - Brasil,
Japan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Moldova to list just a few. Already six pickets
with an average attendance of 35 have been held outside the Kazakhstani
Embassy in Moscow.

Protests can be sent to:
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev through local Embassies or
through the Moscow Embassy at Chistoprudnii Boulevard, dom 3A, Moscow, Russia.

General Procuror of Kazakhstan, Yu. A. Xhitrin, ul. Zheltokcai 189, Almata,
Kazakhstan.

Procuror for West Kazakhstan, 417000, g. Uralsk, Kazahkhstan.

Please send copies of every protest sent by post to 125167, Moscow a/ya 37
or by e-mail to pabgem@glas.apc.org as some protests are not arriving.

Please also send letters of support to Ionur at this address.

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