Kazakh rights defender released on parole after 6-1/2 years in prison
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 17 August 2018 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kazakh rights defender released on parole after 6-1/2 years in prison, 17 August 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5bc052b06.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. 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. |
August 17, 2018 11:46 GMT
By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service
Civil activist Vadim Kuramshin (right) after his release from prison near Ust-Kamenogorsk on August 17.
Kazakh human rights activist Vadim Kuramshin has been released on parole after serving more than 6 1/2 years in prison on extortion charges that his supporters say were politically motivated.
Kuramshin's mother, Olga Koltunova, told RFE/RL that her son was released on August 17 from a penal colony in Kazakhstan's northeastern city of Oskemen.
A court in Oskemen granted Kuramshin the early release on August 1, saying he would be released after 15 days if the ruling was not appealed and overturned.
Kuramshin has become known for his efforts to raise awareness of violations of inmates' rights in Kazakh prisons, including the one where he served his term.
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2012 on an extortion conviction. He denies wrongdoing.
In December 2013, while behind bars, Kuramshin was awarded the prestigious Ludovic-Trarieux international human rights prize.
The first Ludovic-Trarieux prize was awarded to South Africa's Nelson Mandela in 1985 while he was imprisoned.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
