- The sufferer and the witness reading list full#
- The sufferer and the witness reading list code#
- The sufferer and the witness reading list trial#
The sufferer and the witness reading list code#
no/nyheter/NHC+condemns+harsh+sentence+given+to+peaceful+activists.b7C_wlDG1O.ips).Īll known prisoners of conscience convicted under Criminal Code Article 174 have been added to the Finance Ministry Financial Monitoring Committee List of individuals "connected with the financing of terrorism or extremism", thus freezing any bank accounts they may have, without any additional due legal process.
Human rights defenders and opposition political activists are also frequent victims of Article 174 (see eg. If convicted they face five to 10 years imprisonment, "with deprivation of the right to hold specified positions or to engage in specified activity for up to three years". Part 2 bans these actions "committed by a group of persons, a group with prior planning, repeatedly, with violence or threat of violence, or by an official, or by the leader of a public association". They are often also banned from visiting restaurants, cafes or places of public entertainment. Typically, during sentences of restricted freedom individuals live at home, but are not able to leave their town or city without seeking permission. If convicted, they face two to seven years imprisonment, or two to seven years restricted freedom. Part 1 bans these actions committed by individuals. Lawyers are forced not to reveal information on the cases, hearings are often closed to observers, and prosecution and court officials often refuse to answer questions (see below).Īll the cases have either been brought by or have the close involvement of the KNB secret police.Ĭriminal Code Article 174 bans: "Incitement of social, national, clan, racial, or religious hatred or discord, insult to the national honour and dignity or religious feelings of citizens, as well as propaganda of exclusivity, superiority or inferiority of citizens on grounds of their religion, class, national, generic or racial identity, committed publicly or with the use of mass media or information and communication networks, as well as by production or distribution of literature or other information media, promoting social, national, clan, racial, or religious hatred or discord". Secrecy surrounds many of these prosecutions.
The sufferer and the witness reading list full#
The number of prosecutions appears to be growing (see below and full list at base of article).
The sufferer and the witness reading list trial#
The closed trial of another person is already underway in Pavlodar, with five further cases under investigation. Guliyev's conviction brings to five the number of individuals known to have been convicted since the beginning of 2015 under the broadly-framed Criminal Code Article 174 for exercising freedom of religion or belief. Akhmedov was also given tablets which made him feel much worse, but it is unclear if this was deliberately intended (see below). He is also denied hospitalisation, violating the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (known as the Mandela Rules). Still in pre-trial detention is 60-year-old fellow Jehovah's Witness Teymur Akhmedov, who suffers from cancer and who told his lawyer he was tortured by being beaten in prison.
Asaf Guliyev was given a five-year restricted freedom sentence on 24 February. Of two Jehovah's Witnesses arrested in January in Kazakhstan's capital Astana for "inciting religious hatred or discord" for talking to National Security Committee (KNB) secret police agents about their faith, one has already been punished. Guliyev's conviction is one of an increasing number of Criminal Code Article 174 cases.
Fellow Jehovah's Witness Teymur Akhmedov, a cancer sufferer, is in pre-trial detention and states he was tortured. Jehovah's Witness Asaf Guliyev was given five years' restricted freedom on 24 February. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Forum 18, Kazakhstan: Article 174 cases increase, Cancer sufferer tortured, 7 March 2017, available at:
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