19/09/2011 AL 03/10/2011 JUA Case No Country Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Reply CZE 1/2011 Minority issues; Czech Republic 08/02/2012 Alleged racially motivated actions against Roma in the Czech Republic. According to the information received, in July, August and September 2011, several racially motivated actions, including demonstrations, unauthorized marches and rallies, had been undertaken against Roma by ethnic Czechs in the towns of Rumburk, Varnsdorf, Novy Bor, and Sluknov. These allegedly included arson attacks against Romani people living in Býchory and Krty. Following two incidents on 7 and 21 August, involving firstly Romani customers of a gaming room in Nový Bor and secondly 18 Roma who reportedly beat up six ethnic Czechs, there was allegedly a wave of demonstrations against “Romani crime” in North Bohemia. Incidents reportedly included four ethnic Czechs brutally beating up an innocent Romani man, local authorities in the region reportedly making public statements thereby worsening public sentiment about Roma, local residents and right-wing extremists undertaking unauthorised anti-Roma marches, shouting anti-Romani racist slogans, calling for violence against the Roma, destroying fences around two Romani houses, non-Romani neighbours threatening one Romani family with murder and targeting local residential hotels with Romani tenants. KAZ 4/2011 Kazakhstan 21/02/2012 Alleged investigation, arrest and sentencing of human rights defenders. According to the information received, Mr. Vadim Kuramshin, journalist and campaigner for the rights of prisoners, was arrested on two occasions over the weekend of 6-8 August 2011. He has reportedly been investigating alleged cases of torture and mistreatment of prisoners. He was reportedly informed that he was to face charges of “organising a criminal group”. The trial of Ms. Natalya Sokolova, lawyer and legal representative for the trade union representing employees of the Karazhanbasmunbay oil company, was reportedly heard during the first week of August. She was reportedly charged with “inciting social conflict” and sentenced to six years in prison. Ms. Sokolova was the subject of an earlier communication (see above, KAZ 2/2011). During the month of August, the Almaty City Police reportedly launched a series of investigations against Messrs. Ainur Kurmanov and Esenbek Ushtekbaev and a number of other activists, allegedly as a result of their work with the “Leave people‟s homes alone” campaign. Arbitrary detention; Freedom of expression; Human rights defenders; Independence of judges and lawyers; A/HRC/20/30 74 Date Type