Kyrgyzstan
08.11.00
Urgent Interventions
Kyrgyzstan: Persecution and Harassment
URGENT ACTION - THE OBSERVATORY
New Information
KGZ 001 / 0005 / OBS 036.09
Persecution and Harassment
Kyrgyzstan
8 November 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.
New Information
The Observatory has been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR) that in the wake of the presidential election results (declared fraudulent by a number of organisations) human rights defenders, journalists and opposition leaders in Kyrgyzstan continue to face, if not even more severe, persecution and harassment.
According to the information received, on 3 November 2000, Mr Tynaliev, coordinator for the KCHR for the Issyk Kul Region, handed over some materials (relating to the violation of human rights on the day of presidential elections on 29/10/00 in the Issyk-Kul Region) to an acquaintance of his. This acquaintance was subsequently arrested on his way to Balykchy town, searched and deprived of all the documents given to him by Mr Tynaliev. He was also given an illegal interrogation including threats and was required to testify against Mr Tynaliev. Before being released, he was interrogated for several hours. Mr Tynaliev was then made to leave his office and his phone was disconnected by the authorities.
Also, A. Korgoldoev, a KCHR coordinator for the Jalal-Abad Region has been falsely accused by Jalal-Abad region coordinator of the Coalition of Non-Commercial Associations (NCA), Gulnara Mamatbekova, of assault and insults. The NCA is headed by Mrs Umetalieva, and was created with the direct involvement of Mr Ibraimov, assistant to the President, and was employed before the presidential campaign, on the day of elections and afterwards as a tool to discredit independent journalists, opposition related observers and independent NGOs. The same false accusations were brought against Beken Nazaraliev (editor-in-chief of “Ordo”newspaper).
In the case of Korgoldoev, the KCHR confirmed that the authorities intend to bring a criminal case against him as well as criminal cases against activists of the Coalition of NGOs for Democracy and Civil Society, including the head of the organisation Mrs Ismailova.
Furthermore, the following has been reported concerning the case of Ramazan Dyryldaev, Chair of the KCHR, who remains in exile in Vienna. According to the information received, Dyryldaev’s lawyer, I. Karmarda, met with the investigation officer, Mr Kojonaliev, who is involved in the investigation of Dyryldaev’s criminal case. Kojonaliev noted that, irrespective of the alleged instruction from the Prosecutor General that the criminal case against Mr Dyryldaev was to be suspended, he had not received any instruction to drop the case completely.
The Observatory has also been informed of the beating of Leonid Rempel, a journalist of the “Eurasia Internews” allegedly by special forces, on 3 November 2000 at around 8pm in Bishkek. It is reported that the reason for this attack is in relation to his work, including the prompt reporting of all cases of arrests and violations of rights of voters and opposition candidates for parliament and presidency. Lira Baiseitova, editor-in-chief of “Respublica 2000” newspaper (Kazakhstan) was subjected to a similar attack following the publishing of an article on the violation of the Kyrgyz constitution by President Akaev of Kyrgyzstan. It is reported that since the election, they are more exposed to physical harassment.
The Observatory is gravely concerned by the overall situation of human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan. Furthermore, NGOs critical of the government have been banned from receiving funds from abroad.
Action requested
Please write to the Kyrgyz Authorities demanding that they:
i put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations;
ii. 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. »
iii. 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 E-mail:ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su
Geneva-Paris, 8 November 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
New Information
KGZ 001 / 0005 / OBS 036.09
Persecution and Harassment
Kyrgyzstan
8 November 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.
New Information
The Observatory has been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR) that in the wake of the presidential election results (declared fraudulent by a number of organisations) human rights defenders, journalists and opposition leaders in Kyrgyzstan continue to face, if not even more severe, persecution and harassment.
According to the information received, on 3 November 2000, Mr Tynaliev, coordinator for the KCHR for the Issyk Kul Region, handed over some materials (relating to the violation of human rights on the day of presidential elections on 29/10/00 in the Issyk-Kul Region) to an acquaintance of his. This acquaintance was subsequently arrested on his way to Balykchy town, searched and deprived of all the documents given to him by Mr Tynaliev. He was also given an illegal interrogation including threats and was required to testify against Mr Tynaliev. Before being released, he was interrogated for several hours. Mr Tynaliev was then made to leave his office and his phone was disconnected by the authorities.
Also, A. Korgoldoev, a KCHR coordinator for the Jalal-Abad Region has been falsely accused by Jalal-Abad region coordinator of the Coalition of Non-Commercial Associations (NCA), Gulnara Mamatbekova, of assault and insults. The NCA is headed by Mrs Umetalieva, and was created with the direct involvement of Mr Ibraimov, assistant to the President, and was employed before the presidential campaign, on the day of elections and afterwards as a tool to discredit independent journalists, opposition related observers and independent NGOs. The same false accusations were brought against Beken Nazaraliev (editor-in-chief of “Ordo”newspaper).
In the case of Korgoldoev, the KCHR confirmed that the authorities intend to bring a criminal case against him as well as criminal cases against activists of the Coalition of NGOs for Democracy and Civil Society, including the head of the organisation Mrs Ismailova.
Furthermore, the following has been reported concerning the case of Ramazan Dyryldaev, Chair of the KCHR, who remains in exile in Vienna. According to the information received, Dyryldaev’s lawyer, I. Karmarda, met with the investigation officer, Mr Kojonaliev, who is involved in the investigation of Dyryldaev’s criminal case. Kojonaliev noted that, irrespective of the alleged instruction from the Prosecutor General that the criminal case against Mr Dyryldaev was to be suspended, he had not received any instruction to drop the case completely.
The Observatory has also been informed of the beating of Leonid Rempel, a journalist of the “Eurasia Internews” allegedly by special forces, on 3 November 2000 at around 8pm in Bishkek. It is reported that the reason for this attack is in relation to his work, including the prompt reporting of all cases of arrests and violations of rights of voters and opposition candidates for parliament and presidency. Lira Baiseitova, editor-in-chief of “Respublica 2000” newspaper (Kazakhstan) was subjected to a similar attack following the publishing of an article on the violation of the Kyrgyz constitution by President Akaev of Kyrgyzstan. It is reported that since the election, they are more exposed to physical harassment.
The Observatory is gravely concerned by the overall situation of human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan. Furthermore, NGOs critical of the government have been banned from receiving funds from abroad.
Action requested
Please write to the Kyrgyz Authorities demanding that they:
i put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations;
ii. 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. »
iii. 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 E-mail:ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su
Geneva-Paris, 8 November 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