Kyrgyzstan
22.09.00
Urgent Interventions
Kyrgyzstan: Arbitrary detentions / ill-treatment/ legal proceedings
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
KGZ 004 / 0009 / OBS 100
Arbitrary detentions / ill-treatment
Legal proceedings
KYRGYZSTAN
22nd September 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, an FIDH and OMCT venture, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Kyrgyzstan.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), that on 20th September, in Kyry-Suu city, 20km from Osh city, human rights defenders from Osh and Jalal-Abad regions, who were to meet to discuss the problems of terrorism in the South of the Kyrgyz Republic and neighbouring Uzbekistan, were arrested and detained in the local militia department. They were all released shortly afterwards.
According to the information received, the National Security Ministry militia closed the meeting location and arrested the participants. When Ravshan Gaparov, leader of the local human rights group protested to this treatment and demanded the release of all those arrested, he was beaten by Koshoev, Deputy Head of the militia. Koshoev then noted that Gaparov had fallen down himself and got a trauma, and he forced local citizen, through threats, to sign the document. Furthermore, Gaparov was not provided with any medical aid.
The Observatory was also informed that Kyrgyz authorities are now going further in their repression of independent NGOs. Thus, a trial of the Coalition of NGOs for Democracy and Civil Society (Tolekan Ismailova) is set for September 29, 2000. The plaintiff is a Member of Parliament Alymbai Sultanov who accuses the Coalition of insulting him and demands a 5-million-som (about $100,000) compensation.
The Observatory, like the KCHR, believes that this judicial procedure is part of a strategy to prevent Coalition of NGOs from monitoring the next presidential elections, at the end of October. Reportedly, the Security forces are also preparing a separate criminal case against the leader of the Coalition- T.Ismailova.
Actions requested :
Please write to the Kyrgyz authorities demanding that they :
i. uphold the physical and psychological integrity of all human rights defenders and order an immediate and impartial investigation into these alleged arbitrary detention and the beating of Ravshan Gaparov in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations, in particular the current legal proceedings against the Coalition of NGOs for Democracy and Civil Society;
iii. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9 1998 (Declaration concerning the rights and responsibilities of individuals, groups and institutions to promote and protect universally recognised human rights and fundamental liberties ) in particular its Article 1 which provides that " Every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level " and article 6.c which provides that « everyone has the right, individually and in association with others to study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters ».
iv. guarantee the effective respect of fundamental rights and liberties in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Kyrgyzstan.
Addresses:
The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Askar Akayev, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205 Fax: + 996 (312) 218 627
Geneva-Paris, 22nd September 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the reference number given above. The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line: Fax: +033 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel: FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT +41 22 809 49 39
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
KGZ 004 / 0009 / OBS 100
Arbitrary detentions / ill-treatment
Legal proceedings
KYRGYZSTAN
22nd September 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, an FIDH and OMCT venture, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Kyrgyzstan.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), that on 20th September, in Kyry-Suu city, 20km from Osh city, human rights defenders from Osh and Jalal-Abad regions, who were to meet to discuss the problems of terrorism in the South of the Kyrgyz Republic and neighbouring Uzbekistan, were arrested and detained in the local militia department. They were all released shortly afterwards.
According to the information received, the National Security Ministry militia closed the meeting location and arrested the participants. When Ravshan Gaparov, leader of the local human rights group protested to this treatment and demanded the release of all those arrested, he was beaten by Koshoev, Deputy Head of the militia. Koshoev then noted that Gaparov had fallen down himself and got a trauma, and he forced local citizen, through threats, to sign the document. Furthermore, Gaparov was not provided with any medical aid.
The Observatory was also informed that Kyrgyz authorities are now going further in their repression of independent NGOs. Thus, a trial of the Coalition of NGOs for Democracy and Civil Society (Tolekan Ismailova) is set for September 29, 2000. The plaintiff is a Member of Parliament Alymbai Sultanov who accuses the Coalition of insulting him and demands a 5-million-som (about $100,000) compensation.
The Observatory, like the KCHR, believes that this judicial procedure is part of a strategy to prevent Coalition of NGOs from monitoring the next presidential elections, at the end of October. Reportedly, the Security forces are also preparing a separate criminal case against the leader of the Coalition- T.Ismailova.
Actions requested :
Please write to the Kyrgyz authorities demanding that they :
i. uphold the physical and psychological integrity of all human rights defenders and order an immediate and impartial investigation into these alleged arbitrary detention and the beating of Ravshan Gaparov in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations, in particular the current legal proceedings against the Coalition of NGOs for Democracy and Civil Society;
iii. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9 1998 (Declaration concerning the rights and responsibilities of individuals, groups and institutions to promote and protect universally recognised human rights and fundamental liberties ) in particular its Article 1 which provides that " Every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level " and article 6.c which provides that « everyone has the right, individually and in association with others to study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters ».
iv. guarantee the effective respect of fundamental rights and liberties in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Kyrgyzstan.
Addresses:
The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Askar Akayev, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205 Fax: + 996 (312) 218 627
Geneva-Paris, 22nd September 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the reference number given above. The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line: Fax: +033 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel: FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT +41 22 809 49 39
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch