Open Dialog: Roza Tuletayeva, Kazakh leader of the strike movement in Zhanaozen, released from prison

According to information provided by the daughter of Roza Tuletayeva, Aliya, on 19 November 2014, the Kazakh court of cassation has decided to release her mother from the penal colony, in the coming days. As informed, Tuletayeva feels good and thanked to all who have appealed to the authorities of Kazakhstan in her case.The decision of the Kazakh judiciary authorities may have connection with the recently concluded United Nations Committee Against Torture (UN CAT) session in Geneva, and the previous meetings of the UN Human Rights Council (UN HRC) and its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on 30 October, 2014 in Geneva, as well as the EU-Kazakhstan Human Rights Dialogue on 12 November, 2014 in Brussels, where the EU and UN democratic institutions and member states significantly criticized human rights situation in Kazakhstan, including the cases of Zhanaozen oil workers.

The Open Dialog Foundation has been closely monitoring the case of Mrs Tuletayeva. The Foundation participated in the preliminary meetings of all mentioned UN and EU events, and has been actively advocating on behalf of the detained ones in order to prompt international reaction and their release.

We keep guarding our attention high, as there still are a number of political prisoners in Kazakhstan, Vladimir Kozlov, Zinaida Mukhortova, Vadim Kuramshin, Mukhtar Dzhakishev, Aaron Atabek.

The decision of the court, clearly shows that international pressure and assertive dialogue bring concrete results and help to save people's lives. We thank everyone who supported our advocacy initiatives aimed at requesting Roza Tuletayeva's release.