Kyrgyzstan
10.04.03
Urgent Interventions
Kyrgyzstan: arrest, incommunicado detention and risk of torture faced by 13 members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir
Case KGZ 100403
Arbitrary and incommunicado detention / Risk of torture
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Kyrgyzstan.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information from the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), a member of the OMCT network, regarding the arrest, incommunicado detention and risk of torture faced by 13 members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir religious group.
According to the information received, the 13 members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir were arrested for distributing leaflets opposing the war in Iraq, with around 200 such leaflets having been confiscated. It is reported that the leaflets, which were in Kyrgyz, Russian, Uzbek and Arabic, called on all Muslims to oppose the war in Iraq. Ten of those arrested were reportedly charged with inciting ethnic and religious enmity, under Article 229 of the Criminal Code. The detainees have denied having made any such statements in leaflets.
According to information received, the families of those arrested are not being told of the location of their relatives that are being detained, giving rise to fears that they may be subjected to ill-treatment and/or torture during this time. OMCT has previously received allegations that members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir run grave risks of being subjected to sever ill-treatment and torture while in detention, with a number of them having died in detention both in Kyrgyzstan and neighboring Uzbekistan, where the group is also active.
One member of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Ulukbek Kochkorov, a resident of Sharq in Karasuu district, was reportedly arrested on April 3rd, 2003, and his family has not been informed of his whereabouts. On April 3rd, 2003, 15 people, mostly women, went to the police department to demand to meet with Kochkorov and to give him food. However, after the police told them that he had been taken to Osh City Center for temporary detention, the women reportedly began protesting, at which time the police forced the women to leave the premises. Another person who was arrested on April 3rd, 2003 was Anvarjon Iminjonov. The identities of the other persons remain unknown at this time.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned with the arrests and incommunicado detention of Ulukbek Kochkorov, Anvarjon Iminjonov and the other members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir. OMCT fears for their physical and psychological integrity, due to the fact that they are being detained incommunicado, with the heightened risk of torture that this represents. OMCT calls on the Kyrgyz authorities to locate their whereabouts, to guarantee their personal integrity and allow them to receive visits by their families and legal representation. Furthermore, OMCT calls on the authorities to release them, to launch an investigation into their arrests and subsequent treatment and to guarantee that they receive appropriate reparation for any injuries sustained during this time. OMCT also calls upon the authorities to halt the persecution of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir and to guarantee the freedom of religion in the country. OMCT has been informed that the Kyrgyz authorities have increased the persecution of religious activists since the beginning of the war in Iraq.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Kyrgyzstan and urge them to:
i. locate the whereabouts of the members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir that have been arrested for distributing anti-war leaflets;
ii. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the afore-mentioned people, including Ulukbek Kochkorov and Anvarjon Iminjonov;
iii. order the immediate release of the afore-mentioned pesons;
iv. end the persecution and harassment of the members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Mr Askar Akayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205, Fax: 996 312 218 627, Email: ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su
· Mr. Nikolai Tanaev, Prime Minister; fax: 996 312 661 382, e-mail: pmoffice@mail.gov.kg
· Mr. Daniyar Narymbaev, Minister of Justice, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720040, g. Bishkek, ul. Orozbekova, 37; e-mail: minjust@bishkek.gov.kg
In addition, please write to the Kyrgyz embassies in your respective country.
Geneva, April 10th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply
Arbitrary and incommunicado detention / Risk of torture
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Kyrgyzstan.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information from the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), a member of the OMCT network, regarding the arrest, incommunicado detention and risk of torture faced by 13 members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir religious group.
According to the information received, the 13 members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir were arrested for distributing leaflets opposing the war in Iraq, with around 200 such leaflets having been confiscated. It is reported that the leaflets, which were in Kyrgyz, Russian, Uzbek and Arabic, called on all Muslims to oppose the war in Iraq. Ten of those arrested were reportedly charged with inciting ethnic and religious enmity, under Article 229 of the Criminal Code. The detainees have denied having made any such statements in leaflets.
According to information received, the families of those arrested are not being told of the location of their relatives that are being detained, giving rise to fears that they may be subjected to ill-treatment and/or torture during this time. OMCT has previously received allegations that members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir run grave risks of being subjected to sever ill-treatment and torture while in detention, with a number of them having died in detention both in Kyrgyzstan and neighboring Uzbekistan, where the group is also active.
One member of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Ulukbek Kochkorov, a resident of Sharq in Karasuu district, was reportedly arrested on April 3rd, 2003, and his family has not been informed of his whereabouts. On April 3rd, 2003, 15 people, mostly women, went to the police department to demand to meet with Kochkorov and to give him food. However, after the police told them that he had been taken to Osh City Center for temporary detention, the women reportedly began protesting, at which time the police forced the women to leave the premises. Another person who was arrested on April 3rd, 2003 was Anvarjon Iminjonov. The identities of the other persons remain unknown at this time.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned with the arrests and incommunicado detention of Ulukbek Kochkorov, Anvarjon Iminjonov and the other members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir. OMCT fears for their physical and psychological integrity, due to the fact that they are being detained incommunicado, with the heightened risk of torture that this represents. OMCT calls on the Kyrgyz authorities to locate their whereabouts, to guarantee their personal integrity and allow them to receive visits by their families and legal representation. Furthermore, OMCT calls on the authorities to release them, to launch an investigation into their arrests and subsequent treatment and to guarantee that they receive appropriate reparation for any injuries sustained during this time. OMCT also calls upon the authorities to halt the persecution of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir and to guarantee the freedom of religion in the country. OMCT has been informed that the Kyrgyz authorities have increased the persecution of religious activists since the beginning of the war in Iraq.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Kyrgyzstan and urge them to:
i. locate the whereabouts of the members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir that have been arrested for distributing anti-war leaflets;
ii. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the afore-mentioned people, including Ulukbek Kochkorov and Anvarjon Iminjonov;
iii. order the immediate release of the afore-mentioned pesons;
iv. end the persecution and harassment of the members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Mr Askar Akayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205, Fax: 996 312 218 627, Email: ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su
· Mr. Nikolai Tanaev, Prime Minister; fax: 996 312 661 382, e-mail: pmoffice@mail.gov.kg
· Mr. Daniyar Narymbaev, Minister of Justice, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720040, g. Bishkek, ul. Orozbekova, 37; e-mail: minjust@bishkek.gov.kg
In addition, please write to the Kyrgyz embassies in your respective country.
Geneva, April 10th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply