LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS | Kazakhstan Found Guilty of Arbitrary Detention in Case of Teymur Akhmedov

[The Librarian]

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Kazakhstan guilty of unjustly arresting and prosecuting Mr. Akhmedov for peacefully sharing his religious beliefs with others.

Source

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

From the source article:

" Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide are grateful that Teymur Akhmedov’s case has been internationally recognized as an injustice and that it highlights the need for greater respect for religious freedom in Kazakhstan. They anticipate that the government of Kazakhstan will implement the WGAD decision and release Mr. Akhmedov from prison immediately."

As they say about Opera ..... "It ain't over 'till the Fat Lady sings!"

...be interesting to see how quickly he is released, if at all, and the final result of the UN Working Group's recommendations.

I suppose the Society's Lawyers are working closely with the United Nations Lawyers to make things happen (?).

Items 55. (a)(b) and (c)  of the Opinion would be of particular concern to the Principals, and the Brotherhood in General.

Human Rights Council
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention at its seventy-ninth session, 21-25 August 2017
Opinion No. 62/2017 concerning Teymur Akhmedov (Kazakhstan)

.....

.....

...... Follow-up procedure
55. In accordance with paragraph 20 of its methods of work, the Working Group
requests the source and the Government to provide it with information on action taken in
follow-up to the recommendations made in the present opinion, including:
(a) Whether Mr. Akhmedov has been released and, if so, on what date;
(b) Whether compensation or other reparations have been made to Mr.
Akhmedov;
(c) Whether an investigation has been conducted into the violation of Mr.
Akhmedov’s rights and, if so, the outcome of the investigation;
(d) Whether any legislative amendments or changes in practice have been made
to harmonize the laws and practices of Kazakhstan with its international obligations in line
with the present opinion;
(e) Whether any other action has been taken to implement the present opinion.
56. The Government is invited to inform the Working Group of any difficulties it may
have encountered in implementing the recommendations made in the present opinion and
whether further technical assistance is required, for example through a visit by the Working
Group.
57. The Working Group requests the source and the Government to provide the above
information within six months of the date of the transmission of the present opinion.
However, the Working Group reserves the right to take its own action in follow-up to the
opinion if new concerns in relation to the case are brought to its attention. Such action
would enable the Working Group to inform the Human Rights Council of progress made in
implementing its recommendations, as well as any failure to take action.
58. The Working Group recalls that the Human Rights Council has encouraged all
States to cooperate with the Working Group and requested them to take account of its views
and, where necessary, to take appropriate steps to remedy the situation of persons arbitrarily
deprived of their liberty, and to inform the Working Group of the steps they have taken.
[Adopted on 25 August 2017]