Campaign Kazakhstan demonstrates in Berlin and Cologne
Campaign Kazakhstan activists, Germany

Berlin

Yesterday, around 50 people protested in the centre of Berlin, criticising torture, repression and murder in Kazakhstan. Trade unionists including, metalworkers, teachers and health workers were joined by activists from the international “CampaignKazakhstan”, as well as members of the German LINKE (LEFT) party, SAV (CWI in Germany) and other left organisations, informing passers-by and tourists at Brandenburg gate of the events since last friday around the oil workers’ strike in western Kazakhstan.

The protesters shouted, “stop the slaughter in Kazakhstan!” and in several speaches demanded an independent investigation of the events, an end to repression in Mangistau region, the end of German collaboration with the dictatorial regime and the recognition of the independent union the strikers have set up. Furthermore, they called on all trade unionists to increase the international solidarity work, helping to break the information blockade and refuting the lies of the Kazakh state.

The passers-by reacted positively to our demands for solidarity and in less than an hour we collected 50 Euros for the solidarity campaign.

Cologne

Around 20 people left-wing organisations including LINKE, Linksjugend ['solid] and SAV (CWI) participated in a protest action in front of the ESSO gas station in Cologne. They protested against the Kazakh regime’s massacring of oil workers last weekend. We had good feedback from people driving by. Many thanks to everyone who participated.