Kyrgyzstan: open letter to President Akayev

OPEN LETTER TO
ASKAR AKAYEV
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KYRGYZSTAN

Paris-Geneva, 29th January 2003,

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World
Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), in the framework of their joint
programme, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights
Defenders, would like to express their concern regarding reports
about the harassment of NGO activists in Kyrgyzstan, which appears to
be linked to the release of an appeal signed by 22 NGOs on 15 January
2003 calling for the Referendum on the Constitution, that is due to
take place on 2 February, to be rescheduled.

According to the information received from the Coalition for
Democracy and Civil Society, as a result of the attention that has
been given in the media to this issue and following interviews given
by NGO leaders to the television and newspapers, the authorities are
orchestrating a campaign to instill fear in all persons who signed
this and other appeals protesting against the Referendum. According
to our sources, several of them have being summoned by the state
authorities and secret service representatives in order to sign
letters in which they deny their previous position on the Referendum.

Further to this, the Observatory has been informed that, on January
27, an officer of the criminal investigation department of Pervomai
police unit, M. Abylgaziev Roman, visited the neighbours of Mrs.
Aziza Abdrasulova, a Coalition member in Bishkek, and questioned them
about her family's lifestyle and social activities. In the absence of
her parents, Mrs. Abdrasulova's 12-year-old daughter was interrogated
about where her and her younger brother go to school.

The Observatory is gravely concerned by these acts of intimidation
and the reported pressure that is being applied to NGO leaders for
using their right to the freedom of expression and urges the Kyrgyz
authorities to ensure that the acts of harassment to which Ms.
Abdrasulova and other colleagues are being subjected are immediately
halted.

The Observatory calls on the authorities to guarantee, under all
circumstances, the security, and physical and psychological integrity
of all activists involved in the defence of Human Rights in
Kyrgyzstan and to conform with the provisions of the Declaration on
Human Rights Defenders adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
on 9
December 1998, notably its article 1 which states that "everyone has
the right, individually or in association with others, to promote and
to strive for the protection and
realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national
and international levels," and its article 12.2 which states that
"the State shall take all necessary
measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of
everyone, individually and in association with others, against any
violence, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination,
pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her
legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present
Declaration."

We thank you for your careful consideration in this matter.

Yours sincerely,



Sidiki KABA Eric SOTTAS
President of the FIDH Director of the OMCT