On June 2, Kazakh human rights activist Vadim Kuramshin, convicted to 12 years of imprisonment, declared an unlimited hunger strike demanding that the prison administration should stop putting pressure on him.

Ekaterina Kuramshina, the spouse of imprisoned human rights defender Vadim Kuramshinfrom Kazakhstan, told Jarayon that her husband was subjected to beatings and harassmentduring the last few weeks organized by the administration of prison EC 164/, located in Northern Kazakhstan province.

“In protest against such humiliations,Vadim Kuramshindeclared an unlimited hunger strike on June 2 in the presence of the lawyer demanding an end to the pressure the prison administrationexerts on him, a transfer to another colony and medical care. Vadim Kuramshinalso believes that persecution in the prison was organized by the KNB,” said Ekaterina Kuramshina.

In mid-April after having visited her spouse, Ekaterina Kuramshinatold journalists of our website that Vadim Kuramshin’smental state remains extremely difficult.

“He is very much depressed. Virtually, he does not sleep, he has serious problems. He complains about rare auditory hallucinations. He is very distracted, forgets where his bed in the barracks is. Sometimes other prisoners take Vadim to his bed,” Ekaterina Kuramshina.

Currently Kazakh public figures Aynur Kurmanov and Igor Kolov and Igor, representatives of the Committee for the release of Vadim Kuramshin, told reporters that they passed a notification to the European embassies in Kazakhstan about the situation of the well-known human rights activist, who was sentenced to a long imprisonment for his activities.

According to Kurmanov and Kolov, they asked diplomats to pay attention to the fate of political prisoner, who is danger of physical violence in the Northern Kazakhstancolony.

“We, representatives of public associations, notifythe U.S. Embassy and the Embassy of the member states of the European Union on the intolerable situation of abuse, threats and provocations against well-known Kazakhstan political prisoner and human rights activist Vadim Kuramshin.

“According to the imprisoned human rights defender, it is mainlygovernment officials and employees of the Kazakhstan National Security Committee, who ordered to torture and abuse him. He was forced to go on a hunger strike and require additional insulation in a separate cell as he has information about an attempt on his life being prepared.

“We do not ask foreign embassies for help and intervention, as we understand that the terms of reference and capacity of diplomatic missions are limited and are still connected to extremely profitable economic relations with the Kazakh government. However, please take into account this information to monitor the situation of human rights observation in Kazakhstan and take existing possibilities to respond to the facts provided by us, especially taking into account the fact that Vadim Kuramshin can die any moment either because of his destructive hunger strike or because of physical violence,” said the press release issued by the Public Committee for the release of Vadim Kuramshin.

Kazakhstan voluntarily acceded to the International Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and voluntarily committed itself to the Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

In December 2012, the Kazakh court found human rights activist Vadim Kuramshin guilty of extortion and sentenced him to 12 years of imprisonment in a maximum-security colony and ordered to confiscate his property.

The criminal case against the human rights defender was fabricated by the Kazakh authorities in retaliation for his human rights activities.

Prior to imprisonment, human rights activist Vadim Kuramshin mainly exposed crimes committed by Kazakh prison administrations against prisoners.

Last year, international human rights organizations recognized Vadim Kuramshin a political prisoner. In December 2013, Kuramshin was awarded Ludovic-Trarieux human rights prize, which was presented to his family at the end of December 2013 in Paris.

The Ludovic-Trarieuxaward has been given since 1984, which was named after French lawyer and politician, who founded the League of the Human and Civil Rights in 1898. The first prize winner was Nelson Mandela, a fighter against apartheid. Vadim Kuramshin is the winner of National “Freedom Award”, which is awarded to public figures for contribution to democratization and civil societybuilding.

Guzal AKHMEDOVA