by De Morgen.
On May 13, a Belgian court will examine whether tens of thousands of documents concerning dissidents opposing the Kazakh regime can be extradited to that very dictatorship. These documents were seized in 2019 from Bota Jardemalie’s Brussels apartment by the federal police in the presence of Kazakh officers- without proper authorization. If these documents fall into the hands of the Kazakh government, dozens of dissidents and human rights activists could be placed in mortal danger. We find this situation shocking especially in the capital of the European Union, which claims to uphold human rights as a core value.
We therefore call on Belgium to end its cooperation with Kazakhstan regarding Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) requests concerning Bota Jardemalie, a lawyer, human rights defender, and member of the World Liberty Congress Executive Board. Bota Jardemalie has long defended Kazakh opposition figures, political activists, and victims of torture. In 2013, she was granted political asylum in Belgium. Given the politically motivated nature of her case, we urgently call on the Belgian Ministry of Justice to immediately suspend all ongoing cooperation in relation to these MLA requests and to reject all outstanding requests from Kazakhstan concerning Jardemalie’s case.
Our position and recommendations are detailed in a report prepared by international human rights organizations, along with Kazakh human rights defenders, victims of torture, and former political prisoners. It is co-signed by prominent human rights advocates and opposition leaders from around the world within the World Liberty Congress-including Oleksandra Matviichuk, 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate from Ukraine. The report outlines the ongoing transnational repression targeting Bota Jardemalie, orchestrated by the Kazakh regime and its collaborators in Western countries.
Bota Jardemalie has faced numerous forms of transnational repression by the Kazakh regime. Despite her refugee status in Belgium, Kazakhstan has relentlessly targeted her through abusive legal and extralegal tactics-including extradition attempts, illegal surveillance, and even a kidnapping plot in Belgium that was ultimately thwarted. She has also been subjected to hacking, smear campaigns, and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) —all aimed at silencing her and undermining her human rights work.
Her family has also been targeted. In 2017, her brother was arrested and tortured in Kazakhstan to pressure her to return. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled that his detention violated international law. Nevertheless, Kazakhstan submitted an MLA request to Belgium, asking authorities to seize and transfer all of Jardemalie’s files and devices to Kazakhstan in connection with the very criminal case in which her brother was arbitrarily detained and tortured.
Thanks to the efforts of European and U.S. officials— and the UN Working Group’s decision-Jardemalie’s brother was released and granted asylum in Switzerland. Yet Belgium continues to cooperate with Kazakhstan regarding this same MLA request.
Since then, multiple Belgian courts have ruled in Jardemalie’s favor. The former Stasi agents hired by Kazakhstan to kidnap her were convicted. The former British soldier who took over 80,000 photos of her in one year was convicted. Kazakhstan*s claims that Jardemalie embezzled half a billion euros from a local bank were dismissed both in first instance and on appeal. The court found that the evidence presented was fabricated and therefore without probative value.
Despite these acknowledgments that Jardemalie is a victim of relentless international repression by the Kazakh regime, the Belgian Public Prosecutor is still asking that her documents be sent to Kazakhstan. This is shocking and deeply concerning. Such a move would serve authoritarian repression. One must wonder whether the Belgian government fully understands this. We therefore strongly urge Belgium to address this crucial matter and take immediate steps to protect human rights defender Bota Jardemale-so that Belgian and broader Western legal systems are not manipulated by authoritarian
regimes to carry out transnational repression.
Executive Council of the World Liberty Congress:
- Mash Alinejad (Iran), President
- Garry Kasparov (Russia), Vice President
- Leopoldo López (Venezuela), Secretary General
- Joey Siu (Hong Kong), Ombudsperson
- Carine Kanimba (Rwanda), Spokesperson
