Hilfeaufruf - Bitte um Unterstützung: Repressionen gegen SW-Gruppe in Kazachstan
CALL FOR SUPPORT: Repression Against SW group in Kazakstan
Hi all,
Kovcheg, a sex work project that is active in SWAN (the
Sex Workers' Advocacy Network of Central Eastern Europe and Central
Asia, www.swannet.org ) has come under attack from local government for
denouncing [anprangern] violence against sex workers.
If you are able to, please send a letter of support for the important
health and rights work that Kovcheg does. Please copy it to Aliya
Rakhmetova, SWAN coordinator (
arakhmet@yahoo.com ) and Svetlana
Saduakassova, director Kovcheg (
fsz@mail.ru ). Apparently, the fax #
for the Akim of Taldykorgan is a phone-fax and any letters in support
of Kovcheg must be sent between 9-5
Taldykorgan time (which I believe is 11 hours ahead of NY time).
Also, please forward this among your networks.
Thanks a ton,
Anna-Louise Crago
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aliya Rakhmetova, SWAN coordinator
Date: Jan 28, 2008 6:48 AM
Subject: OPEN letter to Kazakhstan authorities, CALL for support
To: SWAN-Serv
Please distribute:
The Joint action on December 17 on the International Day to End
Violence against Sex Workers resulted in a kind of repression on
behalf of local administration in one of the cities in Kazakhstan.
Social bureau "Kovcheg" is a part of Taldykorgan regional foundation
on employment assistance and the organizer of a small street action on
December 17. Several sex workres and social workers went out to the
street with red umbrellas, distributed postcards and explained to those
who were interested about the December 17 idea and the situation with
sex work in Kazakhstan.
In the news the action was presented as a demonstration and some
information was exagerated and this stirred discussions among some
journalists, readers and attracted attention of city authorities.
http://www.liter.kz/site.php?lan=russia ... 4&pub=9397 and
http://www.liter.kz/site.php?lan=russia ... 4&pub=9353
Under close surveilance of authorities are "Kovcheg" and journalists
who made coverage of the action. The authorities demand explanations
and lists of sex workers who receive social and medical councelling in
"Kovcheg", threaten with continuous auditing and ask about the
fundings.
SWAN asks you to express your support of this NGO by faxing an open
letter to the City authorities (Akim of Taldykorgan
City) to number: +7 7282 272 067.
We appreciate your support,
Aliya Rakhmetova
arakhmet@yahoo.com
SWAN project Coordinator
www.swannet.org
Taldy-Korgan,
Provinzhauptstadt in Almaty, Kasachstan (.kz)
link maps.google.de
Kasachstan
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasachstan
Maschinenübersetzter Zeitungsartikel:
The "day of the country"
Kazakhstan:: 30.01.2008
www.liter.kz
I of the girls of our conduct into the office Central Asia, And the girls of our they conduct into the office. The fathers of city desire first to learn news of the life of the female workers of the commercial sex.
After the publication of material the "demonstration of prostitutes, sir..." ("the warrant" from 16.01.08), that tells about the taken place in Taldykorgane action "Marsh red umbrellas", local authorities began to exert pressure on its participants. And journalists, who illuminated sobytiye.Bukval'no next day in the author of note - Sandugash Of duysenovoy began problem. It became to ring the colleagues of the department of the domestic policy of urban akimata and the workers of the law-enforcement agencies of region. All wanted to know details about the female workers of commercial seksa.A so that the woman journalist it would understand seriousness of the intentions of the representatives of the local authority, which rang and which caused it to themselves into the offices people they would recollect Sandugash all critical articles, which left under its name in last year.
After the publication of material "demonstration of prostitutes, sir..." into the editorial staff of "warrant" arrived the letter from Taldykorganskogo urban maslikhata over secretary Marat's signature Bopazova.
In this document to newspaper it is proposed to give the refutation of article and to indicate, "from whose supply your colleagues prepared doubtful correspondence".
Further it is reported that given data do not correspond to reality. It is not only understandable what. In Taldykorgane there are no prostitutes? Or to putanam in the administrative center Of the almatinskeye region it is not permitted to defend its rights? Furthermore, Mr. Of bopazov, from one side, renounces from the fact of demonstration, but, - it recognizes with another that this measure was planned "within the framework of conducting decade" 16 days against the violence in the attitude of women ". But then on the basis some of the explanatory note of Svetlana saduakasovoy, leader of the fund for assistance to employment "ark", it reports to newspaper, that participants in the action intend to be judged with the "warrant".
In turn newspaper also conducted checking the facts presented in the material. As a result of which it was explained, for example, to what explanatory refers Mr. Bopazov.
Taldykorganskaya pravozashchitnitsa the repatriation in Israel Of akhmadiyeva reported the following:
- after the publication of this article on all occurs pressure. The colleagues of the police require explanations, also, in me, since I directly protected the rights of sex- female workers, contributed to the collection of signatures, and was also removed about them news subject. In the subject the sex- female workers complained about the actions of the colleagues of law-enforcement agencies. And now policemen, instead of conducting of official investigations, decided to win back on the journalists, the colleagues OF NPO and the priestesses of love. They today me threaten, constantly they ring on the telephone. But in comparison with me in the more difficult position it proved to be the director of the fund for assistance to employment "ark". They threaten it with checkings. It repeatedly arrived in me after the juridical consultation. It fears, that will be shut its organization, it reported to the newspaper Of akhmadiyeva.
Its own correspondent of the "warrant" Of sandugash To duysenovu after the publication of postigli analogous troubles. "however that may be, you live in our city and must worry about its reputation and, therefore, before the publication show materials" to the fathers of city ", taught Sandugash workmanship officials.
Journalists, who work on the republic OF THE MEDIA, and representatives OF NPO are intended to give in regard to this the special statement.
By the way, according to some data, "ark" - these are the non-government organization, which won Grant according to the protection of the rights of the specific categories of citizens.
As far as refutation is concerned, taking it into account outline above, it cannot be furthermore, editorial staff is located the video recording of that taking place "Marsh red umbrellas". To remind one of photographs, apparently, does not stand. Our readers already saw them. By the way, we did not assert even we do not assert that in the photograph of zapechatleny those, with anyone the discussion dealt in the anecdote. Especially as, as now it was explained, not all ladies with the umbrellas deal with commercial sex. But this no longer to us a question, but to grantobratel'nitse from the public organization.
On-line Commentaries:
E -dun:
I think problem not in the girls and not how they are occupied. Problem in our police... When they force girl. and they assert that it itself it provoked skirt in it short, when they walk in khidzhabe - terrorist when they rob machine in entrance. and they utvrzhdayut. that it is necessary to place the signaling, when criminals and maniacs feel themselves freely, this means that we for the police object for the satisfaction of their material and sexual needs. But in prosti tutties, in the opinion of the authorities and police are guilty THE MEDIA, not pi Reader: To 100 % it is agreeable with the statement "E -dun"
Unknown:
read a little the ultimate source and forum under it. Sandugash class anecdote to this situation recalled
http://www.liter.kz/site.php?.l an=.russian&.id=154&.pub=9353
storonnik:
BY THE WAY, it is in no way compulsory to be patient in order to speak in favor of the rights of patients and feeble; also it is not compulsory to be very sex worker in order to speak in favor of their rights and protection from the violence and the injustice. By the way, such marches passed in 15 countries of East and central Europe and Central Asia and ten in the states, Europe and East Asia read on
www.swannet.org
Unknown:
it can create in taldykurgane public houses?
Unknown:
it is possible to think, Taldykorgan such "clean"! Years quire this is komandirvoochnyy city. They found chinovnikik of what it is shamed. TALDYKORGANKA: Not there was march of prostitutes whatever!!! But you entire "Naive- simplicity" of times the ears of the razvesili.Vo- first to them did not give permission to conducting of march, but if b they left here they drove away... I tell you, because I KNOW!!! Hands away from my city!!!
TALDYKORGANKA:
And by the way let Sandugash does not pretend itself by such already helpless, no one by it not ugrazhal, she itself whom want...
Maslova Irina:
We provovodili the same action in our Saint -Peterburge.I us did not hang on the the lantern of stolbakh.Esli in your city we could conduct the march of red umbrellas, then there can be for you this chance something to change to the best, and not to hide head into the sand and to shyly quiet the problems of violence above the sex- female workers.
Unknown:
Blyadi, sir...)))
Unknown:
The West it used and ejects Nazarbayeva as toilet paper. It kazakhgeit: reform, laws, MID, THE MEDIA, defense, safety.
Soldier:
VLADIMIR PUTIN, THIS, assemblies, kapklassa, trln- incomes without the end product, the prices, the tariffs, the profitability of expropriation out of the consume- calculation, the acceptance, akimbukhgalterii, migrants, residents, finpasportov of krimdokhodpolucheniya(ktRNN), invalyutchikov of Autant's Nur. Shooting, confiscation by natsgrabiteley by low-order zhuzom (EDICT of ancestors).
Compatriot:
Let the scandal in regard to this burn - the same advertisement for to city, how many tourists will stretch themselves. Is straight film about the borate
Unknown:
If they pass apartments to the lease and there they live on 30 people this of the law
Original link with picture:
http://www.liter.kz/site.php?lan=russia ... 4&pub=9397
Offener Brief an die Stadtregierung
um als Kämpfer für Sexarbeiter-Rechte und
nicht als Staatsfeinde mißverstanden zu werden
The Akim of Taldykorgan City
S.E. Zhylkaidarov
OPEN LETTER
IN SUPPORT OF
Taldykorgan Regional Foundation of Employment Assistance
Dear Mr Zhylkaidarov,
We, members of SWAN (Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network) working on the territory of Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia, would like to express support of activities of “Taldykorgan Regional Foundation of Employment Assistance” in connection to empowerment of vulnerable groups in Taldykorgan City and also to clarify the misunderstanding regarding activities of December 17, 2008.
• The activity of the Foundation was not a unique one. On December 17 such events to stop violence against sex workers took place in 15 countries in Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia in various forms and on different scale. Moreover, such actions took place in many countries of Europe, Far East, Southern and Northern America.
• The Foundation’s activity was in the form of action, it wasn't a political rally, as it was presented in several Kazakh media reports. The participants of the campaign organized meetings and round tables with representatives of government and law enforcement, gave interviews to TV and newspaper journalists.
• These actions did not cause any repression on the part of government and city administration in any other country. All these events were to different degree covered in the media. For more detail please visit the official SWAN website at
www.swannet.org.
• Not only sex workers participated in the action. Social workers, human rights groups and other allies, who support the idea of equal protection from violence, joined the events.
• The video film and the still shots from that video were made for internal use only, within the SWAN network, and in Kazakhstan only for advocacy and study practice. Unfortunately media representatives who published these pictures did not request permission from either the Foundation or SWAN and failed to think that such actions might harm the participants of the action.
Nevertheless, SWAN is grateful to the Kazakh media for providing coverage of the action. In spite the fact that in some cases the information was not clear enough and commentaries were rather not friendly, we are glad to note that the media contributed to the raising discussion on violence, human rights and freedom of speech. The ideas of freedom of speech and freedom of expression and the right to stand for one’s own rights found their way in this media.
The Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan provides that there shouldn't be topics forbidden for media to raise (Section I, Art.20, Sub. 1 and 2).
We hope that the media and the city administration will create conditions for all interested parties to participate in a constructive discussion on issues connected with vulnerable position of some of social groups. As one of the Network’s members pointed out: “there are sex workers in every country and every person beginning from his birth has a right to fight and stand for his/her rights”.
The Constitution of Kazakhstan states that "the highest value to the state is the person, his/her life, rights and freedoms” (Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Section I, Art. I, Sub.5).
Further, we address you as the head of the city administration to contribute to the implementation and enhancement of democratic society through open discussions in media and through providing equal rights and opportunities for all people living in Taldykorgan and to provide informational and social assistance to those who need them. Taldykorgan Regional Foundation for Employment Assistance has served the society since 1999 and is a valuable center for help to population in this sphere.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
______________________
N.B. This is open letter will be distributed to various institutions, which have any connection to the issue and to all interested people, including UNAIDS division in Kazakhstan.
January 28, 2008
http://www.swannet.org/en/node/843
.
