Source: http://forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2392&layout_type=mobile
Timestamp: 2019-11-22 06:38:57
Document Index: 782800754

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1']

Forum 18: KAZAKHSTAN: 79 known administrative prosecutions in six months - 4 July 2018
At least 79 administrative prosecutions are known to have been brought across Kazakhstan in the first six months of 2018 to punish individuals, religious communities and companies for their exercise of freedom of religion or belief.
Of these, 61 ended up with punishments – fines of up to four months' average wages and, in a quarter of cases, bans on activity for three months, according to a review of the known 2018 cases compiled by Forum 18 (see full list below).
The rate of prosecution is currently much lower than in 2017. The 79 known prosecutions over the first six months of 2018 compare with 284 such known prosecutions in the whole of 2017, of which 263 ended up with punishments (see F18News 31 January 2018 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2348).
- 7 individuals for offering religious literature to others for free.
- 12 individuals and 2 companies for offering religious literature, icons or other items for sale.
The Kazakh authorities allow only one Muslim organisation to gain state registration in the whole country, the state-backed Muslim Board. The state allows mosques to exist only if they are part of the Board. The Board itself requires all mosques and individuals to adhere to the Hanafi Sunni school of Islam (see Forum 18's Kazakhstan religious freedom survey http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2409).
Of the 79 cases, 73 were heard in court. The remaining 6 were summary police fines, handed down to church members after police raided the Sunday morning meeting for worship of a Council of Churches Baptist congregation in Oral (Uralsk) on 21 January. The church chooses to meet without seeking state permission. After numerous complaints from Baptists, Oral Police cancelled all six fines on 17 May.
All 61 of those punished were fined between 35 and 200 Monthly Financial Indicators (MFIs), 84,175 Tenge to 481,000 Tenge. This represents between three weeks' and four months' average wages for those in formal work (though a much greater burden for unemployed individuals and pensioners).
In addition, 19 of the court decisions ordered three-month bans on various activity, such as distributing religious literature or meeting for worship. A 20th court decision banned a church from meeting for one month, though this and the fine were overturned on appeal.
Of the 75 administrative cases known to have been brought against individuals in the first six months of 2018, 56 were against men and 19 against women.
In addition to the 18 known individuals (both commercial sellers and private individuals) brought to court for offering religious literature and items for sale, 32 of those brought to court were Muslims, 10 were Jehovah's Witnesses, 14 were Baptists (12 of them Council of Churches Baptists) and 1 was a Pentecostal.
5) 5 April 2018, Vyacheslav Poptsov, Baptist, Aktobe Specialised Administrative Court, Article 490, Part 1, Point 3, offering religious literature in his registered church, acquitted
8) 4 June 2018, Saltanat Keulimzhayeva, commercial seller, Almaty Specialised Administrative Court, Article 490, Part 1, Point 3, offering religious literature for sale, 35 MFI fine
9) 6 June 2018, Kuralai Terlikbayeva, commercial seller, Astana Specialised Administrative Court, Article 490, Part 1, Point 3, offering one Koran for sale, 200 MFI fine and 3-month fine on selling religious literature
10) 11 June 2018, Zhasulan Bazarbayev, commercial seller, Atyrau Specialised Administrative Court, Article 490, Part 1, Point 3, offering religious literature for sale, 35 MFI fine and 3-month ban
11) 12 June 2018, Dauren Shyntemirov, commercial seller, Atyrau Specialised Administrative Court, Article 490, Part 1, Point 3, offering religious literature for sale, 35 MFI fine
12) 20 June 2018, Sergei Shutov, commercial seller, Semei Specialised Administrative Court, Article 490, Part 1, Point 3, offering crosses and pendants for sale, 35 MFI fine
13) 21 June 2018, Gulsara Erzhigitova, commercial seller, Semei Specialised Administrative Court, Article 490, Part 1, Point 3, offering 4 icons for sale, 35 MFI fine
14) 22 June 2018, Aliya Abdykarimova, commercial seller, Almaty Specialised Administrative Court, Article 490, Part 1, Point 3, offering an icon for sale, 35 MFI fine