THE STORY OF VLADIMIR KOZLOV
An opposition politician known in Kazakhstan is the last who decided to cast his lot in with Ukraine so far. He moved to Kyiv with his wife and children once his discharge on parole expired. He was granted parole instead of four and a half years in prison.
Vladimir Kozlov
A chair of the Coordination Committee of the unregistered party «Alga!» (Forward!); currently, runs the internet project Kuresker.org
Photo taken from personal page on Facebook.
Photo taken from personal page on Facebook.
After the tragic events in western Kazakhstan towns of Zhanaozen and Shetpe in 2011, when security forces shot away the striking oil workers, Vladimir Kozlov became the main defendant
in the Zhanaozen trial. Almost forty workers and trade union activists who were blamed by the authorities for the events were involved in the court trial. Vladimir Kozlov, being the head of the unregistered opposition party, was accused of incitement to disorders as the party media outlets covered the labour conflict for one year and bought tents for striking workers at the city square. For this, Vladimir Kozlov was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison under the article «Incitement of social hatred» and became the most prominent political prisoner of Kazakhstan for four years.
in the Zhanaozen trial. Almost forty workers and trade union activists who were blamed by the authorities for the events were involved in the court trial. Vladimir Kozlov, being the head of the unregistered opposition party, was accused of incitement to disorders as the party media outlets covered the labour conflict for one year and bought tents for striking workers at the city square. For this, Vladimir Kozlov was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison under the article «Incitement of social hatred» and became the most prominent political prisoner of Kazakhstan for four years.
When he was in detention, the authorities confiscated all of property, money and apartment of Vladimir Kozlov and his wife. Moreover, Vladimir Kozlov was put on the finance ministry's List of organisations and individuals connected with the financing of terrorism and extremism. After release, he would have been deprived of essential rights – to work legally and receive salary, to have a bank account, to carry out financial transactions, to buy railroad tickets, to pay fines, to enter into insurance agreements, to use postal services, to apply to a notary, etc.
Knowing that the authorities would not let him and his family live quietly, he decided to leave for Ukraine and seek political asylum there. Now Vladimir Kozlov runs the internet project Kuresker.org that protects the rights of civil activists and prisoners. The website was blocked in Kazakhstan two months later without a court decision or explanations.
Vladimir Kozlov became one of the last political refugees from Kazakhstan to Ukraine when he moved with him family a year ago. Unlike previous characters, he was not facing an imminent risk of imprisonment – years of prison and trying ordeals were in the past. However, if the state can easily pigeonhole any critic of it as an extremist, it can ruin life easily even after the release from prison.
Knowing that the authorities would not let him and his family live quietly, he decided to leave for Ukraine and seek political asylum there. Now Vladimir Kozlov runs the internet project Kuresker.org that protects the rights of civil activists and prisoners. The website was blocked in Kazakhstan two months later without a court decision or explanations.
Vladimir Kozlov became one of the last political refugees from Kazakhstan to Ukraine when he moved with him family a year ago. Unlike previous characters, he was not facing an imminent risk of imprisonment – years of prison and trying ordeals were in the past. However, if the state can easily pigeonhole any critic of it as an extremist, it can ruin life easily even after the release from prison.
“
«I have always remained in prison partially. It would be good if the things had remained as they were. It was absolutely clear from the police officers who were in charge of me, from their words, attitude, warnings.
It was clear that if I keep doing what I was doing, I would go to prison again. It was a clear message from them. I've been already in prison, and I have nothing to do there for the second time. So, I was not eager to get there.
Second, when you are on the list of extremists, you feel you cannot breathe literally. Moreover, they confiscated my property and I had to pay a rent, pay for kindergarten, school for my children, and I had to have something to eat. That was what I needed then – 70 dollars a month (recently, Kazakhstan slackened the law for released «extremists» and now they can rely on the minimum wage only – author's note)»
It was clear that if I keep doing what I was doing, I would go to prison again. It was a clear message from them. I've been already in prison, and I have nothing to do there for the second time. So, I was not eager to get there.
Second, when you are on the list of extremists, you feel you cannot breathe literally. Moreover, they confiscated my property and I had to pay a rent, pay for kindergarten, school for my children, and I had to have something to eat. That was what I needed then – 70 dollars a month (recently, Kazakhstan slackened the law for released «extremists» and now they can rely on the minimum wage only – author's note)»
He chose Ukraine for several reasons – there were already many acquaintances there, economic situation and the absence of a linguistic barrier.
Currently, Vladimir Kozlov and his family – his wife and two children – have applied for political asylum. But due to the coronavirus, the status is «pending».
Their kids attend the preparatory course of an inexpensive private school. Moreover, the head of the school, as it turned out, is a girl who came to Kazakhstan via the political experience exchange programme. Therefore, she not only knows well what is really happening in the country, but also personally met Vladimir Kozlov. It is a coincidence that the school is located near a village in the suburbs of Kyiv, where the family of emigrants lives. The language of instruction is Ukrainian, which does not cause any problems for the politician's children.
Adults are also gradually mastering the state language. «It comes by itself. In other words, we understand well everything they say, say 95 per cent, the rest can simply be guessed. Although the state language is gaining status in small steps, the legislators still control it: at first, one sphere shifts to the state language, then another one. And the process is not painful,» Kozlov said.
In general, Ukrainians make a pleasant impression not only on political emigrants. And this, perhaps, is one of the most important circumstances for ensuring the comfort of being, whether at home or abroad.
Currently, Vladimir Kozlov and his family – his wife and two children – have applied for political asylum. But due to the coronavirus, the status is «pending».
Their kids attend the preparatory course of an inexpensive private school. Moreover, the head of the school, as it turned out, is a girl who came to Kazakhstan via the political experience exchange programme. Therefore, she not only knows well what is really happening in the country, but also personally met Vladimir Kozlov. It is a coincidence that the school is located near a village in the suburbs of Kyiv, where the family of emigrants lives. The language of instruction is Ukrainian, which does not cause any problems for the politician's children.
Adults are also gradually mastering the state language. «It comes by itself. In other words, we understand well everything they say, say 95 per cent, the rest can simply be guessed. Although the state language is gaining status in small steps, the legislators still control it: at first, one sphere shifts to the state language, then another one. And the process is not painful,» Kozlov said.
In general, Ukrainians make a pleasant impression not only on political emigrants. And this, perhaps, is one of the most important circumstances for ensuring the comfort of being, whether at home or abroad.
«They [the Ukrainian nation] are generally different and, so to speak, there is a slogan that is often found even on billboards, and it is basically embedded into society and the society lives just like that. It sounds like this: «We are all different, but we are one.» The Ukrainian is the one who loves Ukraine. Full stop. Therefore, you know, the speaker in the parliament is a Georgian, someone else there is an Armenian...
If we speak about the whole society, the Ukrainians, first, feel like a nation. They are a nation in the sense that they, as a nation, can stand up against threats and challenges. And they can mobilise very quickly.
You even listen to the news on the radio, and they almost every other day or every day say that some people near the Rada protest against something, some people there hold some kind of rallies. It's just that the announcer says in working order: «It is better to avoid these streets because today they are protesting near the Rada. You either drive round.» It's like saying hi here. It speaks a lot about the society, about its quality. Here, a public civil protest does not cause any surprise, it fits logically into the routine life of Ukraine»
- Vladimir Kozlov.
If we speak about the whole society, the Ukrainians, first, feel like a nation. They are a nation in the sense that they, as a nation, can stand up against threats and challenges. And they can mobilise very quickly.
You even listen to the news on the radio, and they almost every other day or every day say that some people near the Rada protest against something, some people there hold some kind of rallies. It's just that the announcer says in working order: «It is better to avoid these streets because today they are protesting near the Rada. You either drive round.» It's like saying hi here. It speaks a lot about the society, about its quality. Here, a public civil protest does not cause any surprise, it fits logically into the routine life of Ukraine»
- Vladimir Kozlov.
However, the free society has a reverse side, which manifested itself during the pandemic.
«The reverse side of the coin that manifests itself in love of freedom is a don't-care attitude to all prohibitions, in general. It is clearly seen here. For me, it's a crazy thing to see, but it's their common practice,» Kozlov said.
Even the police, he believes, are consistent with the general impression of the Ukrainians. He said that he came across them a couple of times during the year. Once it was simply because the officer became curious about the life in Kazakhstan when he saw the Kazakhstan number plate.
Just like other political emigrants, they do not have very warm relations with the Kazakh oppositional diaspora. According to Vladimir Kozlov, there was no need for it. Although if you need help, they will help.
«We are self-sufficient. Our circle of friends here is our friends from the past. In fact, we are not expanding it because now, in the era, so to speak, of the coronavirus, well, there is simply no need in it. Now we live in a rural area, very close to Kyiv, 10-minute ride to Kiev. Therefore, our social circle is the school,» he said.
The disunity of the opposition is a problem of Kazakhstan. And it remains the problem in other locations, where political refugees are forced to stay or stay deliberately. However, it's a different story.
As for the rest, it's very easy to self-actualise in this country, even without the support of the Ukrainian authorities. And it's comfortable to live here not because of the living conditions, but because of the local residents. They are in many ways similar to us, but still different – more open, more tolerant, freer.
«The reverse side of the coin that manifests itself in love of freedom is a don't-care attitude to all prohibitions, in general. It is clearly seen here. For me, it's a crazy thing to see, but it's their common practice,» Kozlov said.
Even the police, he believes, are consistent with the general impression of the Ukrainians. He said that he came across them a couple of times during the year. Once it was simply because the officer became curious about the life in Kazakhstan when he saw the Kazakhstan number plate.
Just like other political emigrants, they do not have very warm relations with the Kazakh oppositional diaspora. According to Vladimir Kozlov, there was no need for it. Although if you need help, they will help.
«We are self-sufficient. Our circle of friends here is our friends from the past. In fact, we are not expanding it because now, in the era, so to speak, of the coronavirus, well, there is simply no need in it. Now we live in a rural area, very close to Kyiv, 10-minute ride to Kiev. Therefore, our social circle is the school,» he said.
The disunity of the opposition is a problem of Kazakhstan. And it remains the problem in other locations, where political refugees are forced to stay or stay deliberately. However, it's a different story.
As for the rest, it's very easy to self-actualise in this country, even without the support of the Ukrainian authorities. And it's comfortable to live here not because of the living conditions, but because of the local residents. They are in many ways similar to us, but still different – more open, more tolerant, freer.
© 2020 CABAR.asia