Kazakhstan: Defend workers’ leaders


Stop the repression

Maintain the protests

The trade union movement internationally has condemned threats to leading activists from the independent Kazakhstan trade union Zhanartu.

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, wrote: “Events on 16 December 2011 in the city of Zhanaozen, when striking oil workers were massacred, shocked the trade union movement worldwide. In the wake of the strike, [Esenbek] Ukteshbayev and [Ainur] Kurmanov, have been on a prolonged tour of Russia. They believe that attempts are afoot to either arrest or abduct them and forcibly remove them to the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan where inevitable arrest and imprisonment await them.”

Danish trade union activist and reporter Agneta Persson said: “Any attempt to abduct Esenbek and Ainur, or arrest them – either on the territory of the Russian Federation or in Kazakhstan – will be condemned worldwide. If anything happens to these two workers’ leaders, the Nazarbayev and Putin regimes will be held fully responsible.”

In a joint statement, Irish Socialist Party TDs (MPs) Clare Daly and Joe Higgins, said: “We seek an assurance that Mr Ukteshbayev and Mr Kurmanov will not be subjected to harassment or to the continual threat of abduction or arrest.”

An amendment, moved by Irish Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy, in the European Parliament, condemning the repression in Kazakhstan and demanding the release of political prisoners was agreed..

Ben Robinson

www.campaignkazakhstan.org to participate in the email campaign