Kazakhstan Criminal trial against lawyer
On September 8, 2011, labor union lawyer Natalya Sokolova was sentenced to six years in jail by the city court of Aktau in Kazakhstan after finding her guilty of “inciting social discord” and “organizing illegal gatherings.” She had been arrested and charged after she spoke out on issues such as wage disparity and defended oil workers’ rights at companies in western Kazakhstan.
Besides the prison term, she also received a ban on legal practice and public work for three years. Sokolova told the court that she did not organize the strike or any illegal meetings but acted in her official capacity as lawyer of the union, appearing at the invitation of workers who wished to consult her about wages. In March 2012, after international advocacy campaigns, Sokolova was released from prison after her sentence was reduced.