Artikels/Articles Jailed, released and jailed again - free trade union leader Erlan Baltabay
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In July this year, Erlan Baltabay, a leader of the Independent Oil and Energy Workers' Union in Kazakhstan, was sentenced to seven years in prison on politically motivated charges.
A huge international union mobilization followed, including a LabourStart campaign signed by thousands calling for his release. He was released from prison in August after being pardoned by the President and was able to return home to his family.
He has now been imprisoned again. His seven-year sentence was replaced with a fine. Baltabay refuses to pay the fine, because he is innocent. He demands the right to appeal his sentence.
The Kazakh authorities have jailed him, giving him a new, five-month sentence. In the eyes of the Kazakh authorities, Baltabay's real crime is defending workers' rights.
They are hoping that the international trade union movement has forgotten about him.
Let's show them they are wrong.
Click here to send a message to the Kazakh authorities, urging them to drop all charges, release him from prison, restore his rights and lift the ban on conducting public activity, including trade union activity.
Let's make this into a much larger campaign than the previous one: please share this message with at least five other trade unionists you know.
