Photograph by Flickr user estevenson (CC-usage).

As a kid growing up in New York City, I remember the slogan of the 1010WINS radio channel: “You give us twenty-two minutes, we’ll give you the world.”  It’s a cool slogan for a lot of reasons, one of which being how much it indicates the speed of the news cycle.

This weekend is a good example.  In case you missed it, here are three of the big stories from Friday and Sunday:

(1) The Supreme Court of Tajikistan has launched a devastating lawsuit attack upon the country’s independent media.  neweurasia‘s Alpharabius reports, explaining how it fits into a larger trend.

(2) Kazakhstan’s Minister of Justice has floated the idea of an amnesty for persecuted human rights defender Yevgenii Zhovtis.  neweurasia‘s Adam reports.

(3) The government of Turkmenistan seems to have lifted its travel ban on at least some students who are enrolled in foreign universities.  neweurasia‘s Annasoltan reports, exploring some reasons why for the abrupt turn-around in policy.

Translation of Klavdia Razina‘s post (RUS).

For previous posts in the series, click here, here and here.

Bareta Yergalieva:
I’ve listened to each one of you carefully. The fact that we are defenseless now is our own fault as a nation. I choose my words carefully, considering I am a veteran of Kazakhstan’s human rights movement. Read the full story »

Photograph by Flickr user An Untrained Eye (CC-usage).

Radio Azattyq has hosted a round table discussion on Kazakhstan’s human rights organizations, several of which are facing criticism by relatives of political prisoners.  The ensuing discussion revealed much deeper problems that anticipated.

neweurasia‘s Klavdia Razina has been publishing the transcripts of the discussion by Sultan-Khan Akkulyuly and translated into English by neweurasia‘s Andrey Tolstoy.   Here’s a round-up, but we strongly recommend you follow the links and read the full transcripts.

Read the full story »

Translation of Klavdia Razina‘s post (RUS).

For the previous two posts in the series, click here and here.

Rosa Akylbekova:
I am in complete accord with Ms. Yesergepova on the point that the agency has been recently preoccupied with the fate of its director, who was unjustly sentenced. It is perfectly normal. As for your husband – if you remember, when Zhovtis was on trial, we sent Andrei Sviridov. However, this is not important right now. Read the full story »

In the last weeks of 2009 the Kazakh bloggers’ comments were concentrated around two topics – patriotism and democracy in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Read the full story »

Translation of Klavdia Razina‘s post (RUS).

Read part one here.

Raushan Yesergepova:

I will say right away that the case of Ramazan Yesergepov is an unprecedented and brazen violation of human rights in Kazakhstan. It makes a mockery of expectations that one year prior to assuming chairmanship of the OSCE the government would try to abide by the principles of this prestigious organization. Read the full story »

Editor’s note: This is a translation of Klavdia Razina’s post (RUS).  Click here to read more about the Zhovtis case.

Early this December, Geneva hosted a meeting of the “Eurasia-IDEA” international civic cooperation network. The meeting included a solidarity event for noted human rights activist Yevgenii Zhovtis.

Zhovtis’ controversial case once again shed light on how Kazakhstan’s judicial system functions. In the course of the investigation, trial, sentencing, appeal and incarceration in a correction colony, an independent panel of experts found over 50 errors and procedural violations.

The facts are as follows: an accident took place; a pedestrian standing in the road (the speed limit is 100 km/h) got hit and later died; the driver was sober, driving within the speed limit. This was used to make a criminal case and, in a two-day trial that violated the basic principles of judicial procedure, convict and sentence Zhovtis to four years in prison.

Event participants prepared and distributed about 200 postcards with the address of the correction colony in Ust-Kamenogorsk, where Zhovtis is being kept.

Евгений Жовтис
Казахстан
070019, ул. Астафьева 117/5

Yevgenii Zhovtis
Kazakhstan
070019 Ul. Astafyeva 117/5

The front of the postcard shows Yevgenii Zhovtis and the event slogan: “We Believe in JUSTICE and we will get it DONE.”

To show solidarity and support Yevgenii, please send a postcard (any design) to the address indicated earlier.

Human rights activist Yevgenii Zhovtis being escorted by a police officer. Image courtesy of RFE/RL. Click the image to read an RFE/RL story about trials of human rights activists throughout the region.

Translation of Klavdia Razina‘s post (RUS).

Crossposted on Azattyq.

Author: Sultan-Khan Akkulyuly

Radio Azattyq hosted a roundtable discussion on Kazakh human rights organizations, which are being criticized by relatives of political prisoners. The discussion revealed much deeper problems. Read the full story »

Translation of Adam’s post [RU].

“Freedom to Zhovtis!” is a signature made on asphalt in Almaty to support  well-known human rights defender. Photo was made on September 17, 2009, Almaty downtown.

As megakhuimyak described it, last week in Kazakhstan “the senility grew ever stronger.” The country is astir over the president’s former son-in-law, Rakhat Aliev, now émigré enemy of the state # 1. People’s fear of the once-omnipotent oligarch and secret service official has turned into fear of being associated with a fugitive from justice, and has been aggravated by new standards of regulating internet content:

The [popular Kazakhstani forum] Center of Gravity now prevents users from typing the word “Aliev,” automatically replacing it with ellipses. This also happens when “aliev” is a component of another surname.

Read the full story »