On the second attempt, the authorities in Kazakhstan, have jailed Vadim Kuramshin, a well-known campaigner for prisoners’ rights and member of the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan, for 12 years.
Under the lead of judge Nurmukhammat Abidov, the latest trial was rushed through and the sentence declared without either Vadim or his advocate present in the courtroom.
They were replaced by a court-appointed lawyer, who just acted as if he were an additional piece of court room furniture.
The trial was conducted with many breaches of procedure. From the start, the judge took the side of the prosecution.
Not one objection from the defence was upheld and neither defence nor prosecution witnesses were questioned.
Some of the prosecution witnesses appeared by Skype. This showed members of the ‘security organs’ instructing the witnesses on how to give the ‘right evidence’. Vadim was not even allowed to see documents submitted about him.
