The health condition of Roza Tuletayeva, the activist of oil workers’ strikes in Zhanaozen has seriously deteriorated. So far, the prison administration has failed to provide her with adequate medical care. Roza Tuletayeva’s life is now in danger.
On 20 June, 2013, subject to permission granted by the administration of the colony, Roza Tuletayeva underwent a medical examination in the regional hospital in the city of Atyrau. The surgeon diagnosed Roza Tuletayeva with sharp increase in mass of an adenoma in her liver by 4 centimetres (an increase by a further one centimetre can lead to the rupture of the liver). At the hospital, Rose Tuletayeva was informed that surgery can only be performed if the liver tumour reaches a critical level. At the same time, Roza Tuletayeva has an acute pain in her spine (for now, no one has performed necessary medical examination in the colony, and the diagnosis is still not known), and in this connection, the doctors can not administer her injections. She has also been diagnosed with kidney stones.
Aliya Tuletayeva, Roza Tuletayeva’s daughter, fears for her mother’s life, as due to the low qualification of doctors in the colony and neglectful treatment by the administration, Roza Tuletayeva is deprived of the right to receive proper medical care. Previously, after the detection of liver tumour and problems with her back, the colony physicians had recommended that Roza Tuletayeva use a heating ointment. Moreover, Roza Tuletayeva should avoid physical exertion and emotional stress since otherwise the liver tumour will most likely progress. At the same time, despite Roza Tuletayeva’s requests, the administration sometimes forces her to stand in a line and suffer unbearable pain.
Simultaneously, the pressure from the security services of Kazakhstan in relation to Aliya Tuletayeva is increasing. According to her, when she arrived in Atyrau to visit her mother in prison once again in March, 2013, she was constantly shadowed. In addition, officers of the National Security Committee requested Aliya Tuletayeva’s personal file from the personnel department at her place of employment.
The Kazakh government has not ensured the provision of necessary medical assistance to Roza Tuletayeva. Thus, the demands of Kazakh and international human rights organisations have been ignored. Human rights activists are doubtful whether the prison authorities have reliable data regarding the health of Roza Tuletayeva, and mention the possibility of pressure being exerted on her.
Delays in providing assistance from independent physicians can lead to tragic consequences. Therefore, the Open Dialogue Foundation hereby addresses the international community, including the independent medical humanitarian organisations ‘Doctors without Borders’ and ‘International Red Cross’, with an appeal that their employees be sent to the colony UG [УГ] 157/11 in order to provide proper medical assistance to Roza Tuletayeva who is now in a critical situation. We insist that the government of Kazakhstan ensure the visit of independent doctors to treat Roza Tuletayeva. We also call on the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to pardon Roza Tuletayeva.
All those interested in supporting our appeals and calls are welcome to send their letters to the following addresses:
- Médecins Sans Frontières – 78 rue de Lausanne, Case Postale 116, 1211 Geneva 21, Switzerland. Tel: +41 22 849 84 84. Fax: +41 22 849 84 04;
- International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – P.O. Box 303, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland. Tel: +41 22 730 42 22. Fax: +41 22 733 03 95;
- President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev – Administration of the President, the ‘Akorda’ building, Left Bank, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan, Fax: +7 7172 72 05 16;
- Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Salidat Kairbekova – Astana, Left Bank, 8 Orynbor Street, House of Ministries, entrance No. 5, Tel: +7 7172 74 32 43, +7 7172 74 32 40;
- Head of the Penal Facility UG [УГ] 157/11, Samat Rayev – Penal Facility UG [УГ] 157/11, 47 Satybaldina Street, Atyrau, 060000, Tel: +7 7122 46 50 11, +7 7122 46 11 49.
Additional Information:
Since June, 2012, Roza Tuletayeva has been serving a five-year prison term on charges of organising mass riots in Zhanaozen. On 28 May, 2013, the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan upheld the sentence against Roza Tuletayeva, having ignored her serious health condition which was also caused by the brutal torture exerted on her by the investigating authorities.Apart from liver tumour and undiagnosed problems with her spine, Roza Tuletayeva suffers from chronic mastopathy, she has low blood pressure: 80/50, a growing cyst and deteriorating eyesight. Roza Tuletayeva’s daughter fears that her mother will not live to see the end of the term of her imprisonment. On 18 April, 2013, in its resolution, the European Parliament called for the release of Roza Tuletayeva, convicted on politically motivated charges.
