EXTERNAL (for general distribution)AI Index: EUR 57/01/92

Distr: UA/SC

UA 125/92Death Penalty22 April 1992

KAZAKHSTAN:Yury BURLAKOV

Gennady KONSTANTINOV

Vladimir SLEDNEV

(in cyrillicЮрий БУРЛАКОВ

Геннадий КОНСТАНТИНОВ

Владимир СЛЕДНЕВ)

Amnesty International fears that Yury Burlakov, Gennady Konstantinov and Vladimir Slednev may face imminent execution in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan. All have had death sentences imposed for murder upheld by the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, and are now awaiting the outcome of petitions for clemency addressed to the President.

Yury Burlakov was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death on 24 August 1991 by a court in Shevchenko (now known as Aktav). He has no previous convictions and he denies the charge. He is 31 years old, and is married with three children. Gennady Konstantinov, aged 52, was sentenced to death by Aktyubinsk Regional Court on 25 December 1990 for the murder and rape of a minor. The Supreme Court of Kazakhstan refused his appeal in June 1991 and although a further hearing was pending before the Supreme Court of the USSR, this body was disbanded before his case could be considered, following the demise of the Soviet Union. Vladimir Slednev was sentenced to death for murder on 7 January 1992 by Alma-Ata City Court.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases and without reservation, on the grounds that it is a violation of the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Amnesty International is appealing to the President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to exercise his constitutional authority and commute the death sentences passed on these three men.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Telegrams/express and airmail letters

- urging that the death sentences passed on Yury Burlakov, Gennady Konstantinov and Vladimir Slednev be commuted;

- urging that a moratorium be imposed on death sentences and executions pending a comprehensive review of the death penalty.

APPEALS TO:

1) President of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

Respublika Kazakhstan

g. Alma-Ata

Prezidentu Respubliki Kazakhstan

NAZARBAYEVU, N.A.

Telegrams: Kazakhstan, g. Alma-Ata, Prezidentu Nazarbayevu, N.A.

Salutation: Dear President Nazarbayev

Page 2 of UA 125/92

2) Chairman of the Clemency Commission of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

Respublika Kazakhstan

g. Alma-Ata

Komissiya po voprosam pomilovaniya

Prezidiuma Verkhovnogo Soveta Respubliki

Kazakhstan,

Predsedatelyu KHITRINU, Yu.

Telegrams: Kazakhstan, g. Alma-Ata, Komissiya pomilovaniya VS, Predsedatelyu Khitrinu.

Salutation: Dear Chairman Khitrin

COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:

1) Procurator-General of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

Respublika Kazakhstan

480091 g. Alma-Ata

ul. Mira, 110

Prokuratura Respubliki Kazakhstan

Generalnomu Prokuroru TUYAKBAYEVU, Zh.

2) Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

Respublika Kazakhstan

480103 g. Alma-Ata

ul. Sovetskaya, 66

Verkhovny Sud Respubliki Kazakhstan

Predsedatelyu AYTMUKHAMBETOVU, T.A.

3) The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

Respublika Kazakhstan

g. Alma-Ata

Ministerstvo inostrannykh del Respubliki Kazakhstan

Ministru ARYSTANBEKOVU, A.Kh.

4) The Editor of the newspaper Kazakhstanskya Pravda:

Respublika Kazakhstan

g. Alma-Ata

Kazakhstanskaya Pravda

Glavnomu redaktoru Ignatovu F.F.

5) The Minister of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

Respublika Kazakhstan

g. Alma-Ata

Ministerstvo yustitsii Respubliki

Kazakhstan

Ministru DOSTOLOVU, D.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 3 June 1992.