Karasai district court supported a peace initiative of the Society for Krishna Consciousness and suggested that the parties make an amicable agreement.

Hearings in the Karasai district court regarding the demolition of the only Hare Krishna temple in Kazakhstan continue. The plaintiff, Hakim of the Karasai district, demands that the buildings of the Society should be declared illegal and be demolished.

For a number of court hearings the plaintiff has failed to present documents to support his main charges.

Earlier, the representatives of the Society for Krishna Consciousness repeatedly offered a peaceful settlement of the conflict. At the court session of November 25, 2008, the judge came forward with an initiative of amicable agreement. It rests with the Hakim of the Karasai district to decide whether to accept this initiative.

The representative of OSCE, the national deputy of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, and an officer of the US embassy in Kazakhstan take part in the court sessions as observers. Mass media covers the hearings.

The attempt by the Karasai district Hakim to declare the Krishnas’ buildings illegal and demolish them would lead to the destruction of the only Hare Krishna temple in Kazakhstan. This would be the final act in the planned campaign for the liquidation of the Society for Krishna Consciousness.

For the 4 years of trials, the authorities of the Karasai district have destroyed 26 homes of resident ISKCON members and confiscated 47 hectares of land. This was transferred to the national land reserve without any compensation.

The next court session is scheduled for Monday, December 1, 11:00.