Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/696/13268
From The Socialist newspaper, 30 November 2011
Kazakhstan: Demand Georgii Epshtein's release!
CWI Reporters, Kazakhstan
There is new evidence that the Kazakh authorities' charges against Russian Committee for a Workers' International member Georgii Epshtein have been completely fabricated.
Georgii was sentenced to ten days detention for "breaching the rules for staying in Kazakhstan". Migration police claimed that Pashaev Magamed had given evidence that Georgii was living in his flat.
Pashaev is actually the landlord of an office currently rented by the Leave People's Homes Campaign.
Supporters of Socialist Movement Kazakhstan (SMK) contacted Pashaev Magamed by telephone. He declared that he had not given any evidence, nor had he made a statement. He said that he did not even know who Georgii was and had never seen him.
The trial itself was full of breaches of procedure. Georgii, "the accused", was not given the right to use a defence 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 called to give evidence in person.
Although by law, a Russian citizen has to register with the police on their arrival, which Georgii did, there is no restriction on where in the city they can be at any one time. It seems that Georgii has been imprisoned for being a CWI member.
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 send messages of protest to the London Kazakhstan embassy on 020 7590 3490 and/or london@kazembassy.org.uk, the prosecutor general in Kazakhstan on gp-rk@prokuror.kz and the ministry of foreign affairs on midrk@mfa.kz.
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In The Socialist 30 November 2011:
Socialist Party news and analysis
30 November shows... We can win!
Con-Dems' autumn statement: 'pain now, pain tomorrow and more pain for longer'
The Tory solution to pensioner poverty?
International socialist news and analysis
Egypt: Millions cast their votes in the first post-Mubarak elections
Kazakhstan: Demand Georgii Epshtein's release!
Socialist Party feature
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Brighton Greens fail to fight the cuts
'Not guilty' - support for Cardiff activists
Stoke Socialist Party's public meeting success
Leeds Against Cuts: defiant mood to fight 'daylight robbery'
London trade unionists support electoral opposition to cuts
Socialist Party workplace news
Construction workers defend the JIB
Electricians occupy building company HQ
Usdaw: Fighting against the policies of 'social partnership'
The Socialist, reviews & comments
Why I joined the Socialist Party
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