Senior OSCE official visits Kazakh rights defender in detention, stresses importance of fair appeals process

ALMATY, 19 September 2009 - Following a meeting today with Kazakh human rights defender Yevgeny Zhovtis in the detention centre where he is held outside Almaty, the first deputy director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Douglas Wake, stressed the importance of full respect for fair trial standards in the consideration of Zhovtis' appeal.

"We already conveyed our concerns to the Kazakh government about reports of numerous violations of Zhovtis' right to a fair trial in the run-up to his conviction," said Wake.

"While we are not suggesting that Zhovtis should receive any special treatment, it is essential that fair trial standards are fully respected during the appeals process, in line with national legislation, OSCE commitments and Kazakhstan's other international obligations," he added.

Zhovtis, a member of the ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, was sentenced on 3 September to four years' imprisonment for vehicular manslaughter, after having been involved in a tragic accident that led to the death of a pedestrian.

Domestic legal experts and international observers at the trial reported numerous procedural violations.

The ODIHR deputy director is currently in Kazakhstan at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to brief officials about ODIHR's work on human rights, support for democratic institutions and tolerance in preparation for Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship in 2010.

Wake expressed gratitude to the Kazakh authorities for facilitating the meeting with Zhovtis. He was accompanied during the visit by the Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana, Jeannette Kloetzer.

The ODIHR deputy director said Zhovtis expressed his determination to continue working with his international and national partners on promoting the respect for human rights in Kazakhstan and the OSCE region.

Wake also said that the dialogue on co-operation between ODIHR and Kazakhstan on preparations for the OSCE chairmanship will continue at the annual OSCE human rights conference which will take place in Warsaw starting from 28 September.