Kazakh oil workers (Photo via World Federation of Trade Unions)

In Kazakhstan, gross violations of trade union and labor rights, and repression of trade union activists continue. We all remember the bloody events in Zhanaozen in December 2011, when the police fired at unarmed strikers and civilians. Dozens and hundreds of people were killed and injured, many were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.

History repeats, in Kazakhstan the activity of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of the RK (KNPRK) is banned. Trade union activists and rank-and-file members of this trade union in the oil company “Oil Construction Company” in Western Kazakhstan, who started a strike hunger strike against this illegal ban, were fired, brought to criminal and administrative responsibility, and were subjected to large fines.

On charges of calling for this “illegal strike” and hunger strike, Nurbek Kushakbayev, deputy chairman of the KNPRK, was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison and a fine of $ 80,000. The court over the chairman of the union “Oil Construction Company” Amin Yeleusinov continues.

These persecutions were the result of the adoption in 2014 of a new law on trade unions, the norms of which were recognized by the International Labor Organization (ILO) as inconsistent with many pacts and agreements, the adoption of the anti-Labor Labor Code in 2015, as well as the articles of the Criminal Code punishing organization and participation in strikes, for appeals to them, as well as for fomenting social discord.

We, members of the Working Group for the preparation of the 19th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties, declare our solidarity with the oil workers of Kazakhstan in their struggle for labor and trade union rights.

We demand from the Kazakhstan authorities to immediately release, close the criminal cases and acquit the arrested!
Trade union activity is not a crime!
A strike is not a crime!

Stop the repression of trade unionists in Kazakhstan!