Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan was established by Kazakh members of the Committee for a Workers International in 2002, during a conference held in neighbouring Russia. From its inception it came under attack by authorities, with one member detaineden route to the conference establishing the organisation, and others reporting being attacked as they gathered for the conference. Prominent members of Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan include Ainur Kurmanov and Esenbek Ukteshbayev, leaders of the independent Kazakh trade union 'Zhanartu', currently in exile. Along with other members of Socialist Resistance Kazakhstan, both have been subject to arbitrary imprisonment and attempts on their lives when within Kazakhstan. In June 2012, Takhir Narimanovich Mukhamedzyanov, leader of Socialist Resistance Kazakhstan, was found dead in his home under suspicious circumstances, after receiving a range of death threats from state-affiliated interests. Socialist Resistance Kazakhstan was instrumental in the 'ONJ' campaign - an anti-eviction movement, and in 'Kazakhstan 2012', a campaign for democratic electoral reform. Socialist Resistance Kazakhstan supported the strike and demonstration by Kazakh oil workers in December 2011 in Zhanaozen, and accuse the government and Nursultan Nazarbayev's National Democratic Party of initiating a massacre.
Policies
Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan campaigns for democratic socialism, an end to authoritarianism, and calls for the nationalisation of the economy under the control of workers.
Campaign Kazakhstan
The CWI is currently running an international appeal called 'Campaign Kazakhstan', to draw attention to the political and economic situation in Kazakhstan and to campaign for the release of Vadim Kuramshin, human rights activist and legal counsel for striking oil workers in west Kazakhstan, and in support of Ainur Kurmanov and Esenbek Ukteshbayev, trade union leaders targeted by the state and currently in hiding overseas. The campaign has previously worked on protesting outside Kazakh embassies around Europe for the release of Natalya Sokolova, also legal counsel for striking oil workers, and Bolat Atabayev, imprisoned Kazakh theatre director. Both prisoners were later released in response to these campaigns.
