Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-03-14-Speech-3-465-000"
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"en.20120314.26.3-465-000"2
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"Mr President, what we see in Kazakhstan today is severe and large-scale regression in the field of human rights and democratic rights. However, this regression – seen, for example, in the brutal crackdown in Zhanaozen, which saw at least 17 people killed – did not prevent the German Government from signing a lucrative trade deal for rare earths this February. Here we have an example of fine words about human rights not matched by actions, particularly when it comes to vested economic interests.
So let us have some action here and ask the Vice-President/High Representative’s representative to give a clear commitment that the negotiations on the new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement will be suspended until there is meaningful change and until all political prisoners, including Vladimir Kozlov and human rights defender, Vadim Kuramshin, have been unconditionally released, and all trumped-up charges and investigations against the 43 strikers and their supporters awaiting trial – and the leaders of the political opposition – have been dropped, including those against Ainur Kurmanov, leader of the Socialist movement in Kazakhstan, and the leader of the independent trade union ‘Zhanartu’, Esenbek Ukteshbaev. It is those who gave the order to shoot down peaceful protestors who should be in the dock, not these opposition activists.
I welcome Natalya Sokolova’s release from prison, but all charges against her must be dropped and there must be no restrictions on her trade union activity. The Kazakh Government is suggesting that they have learnt lessons, but actions speak much louder than words, and their actions suggest that the crackdown on workers’ rights and democratic rights is continuing and going even further. For example, February’s amendments to the labour code allow the dismissal of workers involved in strike action, makes it easier to dismiss trade union representatives during strike negotiations, and legalises lock-outs.
The report of the general prosecutor’s office has insufficiently accounted for the role of the state forces in the events in Zhanaozen, and the number of people who died according to that report is massively disputed by eyewitnesses. An independent, international inquiry is still desperately needed. If I am granted a visa, I will be travelling to Zhanaozen as part of a delegation of trade unionists, human rights activists and journalists to try and help bring out the truth."@en1
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