Supreme Court to Hear Case of Human Rights Defender Azimjan Askarov on May 13

​THEOBSERVATORY – JOINT PRESS RELEASE

Paris - Geneva - Bishkek,May 12, 2020 - After 10 years of unjust detention,journalist and human rights defender Azimjan Askarov faces the final hearingbefore the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan on May 13. Sentenced to life in prisondue to his human rights work, Mr. Askarov was arrested on trumped-up chargesthat included incitement to ethnic hatred and complicity in the murder of apolice officer. Despite the 2016 United Nations Human Rights Committee rulingcalling for Mr. Askarov's immediate release, and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic,he remains in prison while his health deteriorates. The Observatory(FIDH-OMCT), Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan human rights movement, and Kylym Shamy humanrights centre call upon the authorities in Kyrgyzstan to immediately releasethe human rights defender.

On Wednesday May 13, 2020 at 2 p.m. Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Courtwill consider the cassation complaint of journalist and human rights defender AzimjanAskarov on the verdict of the Chui Oblast Court from January 24, 2017,which upheld his life sentence. Human rights groups, European Union and UnitedNations experts have advocated for his release for the past decade. Earlierthis month, ahead of World Press Freedom day, his case was ranked as the most urgent by the One Free Press Coalition. On May 8, Mary Lawlor, the new Special Rapporteur on thesituation of human rights defenders, called fora proper review of Mr Askarov's appealin accordance with all the safeguards of a fair trial, and his immediaterelease. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the world’s attention is stillfocused on the injustice committed by the authorities in his case. The Observatory (FIDH-OMCT), Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan human rights movement, and Kylym Shamy human rights centre hope that Kyrgyzstan willfinally ensure Mr. Askarov’s right to a fair trial and free him.

“It is shameful for theKyrgyz Republic that the innocent 68-year-old journalist and human rightsdefender continues languishing behind bars. The last time I visited him inprison, it struck me how old and weak he had become, his health greatlydeteriorated. It is heartbreaking to see him—at high risk due to hisdeclining health and having endured torture—losing hope for a fairtrial and release”, said Tolekan Ismailova, FIDH Vice-President and President of BirDuino-Kyrgyzstan.

Mr. Askarov was convicted of “participation in mass riots”,“inciting ethnic hatred” and “complicity in the killing of a police officer”during the ethnic tensions in 2010. The investigation and the subsequent trialof Mr. Askarov were marred with violations of due process and fair trialrights. Mr. Askarov’s credible allegations that he had been tortured inpre-trial detention were never properly investigated. His conviction was upheldafter several appeals, including by the Supreme Court. In 2016, the UnitedNations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) called on the Kyrgyz authorities toimmediately release Mr. Askarov, quash his unfair sentence and ensure adequatecompensation for the wrongful conviction.

“The UNHRC further found that Azimjan Askarov had beensubjected to torture and the authorities failed to properly investigate this.Although the Committee called for his immediate release, Azimjan continues tolanguish behind bars. We hope that Kyrgyzstan will live up to the expectationsof the international community and finally implement the Committee’s decision”, concluded GeraldStaberock, OMCT Secretary General.

Several hearings on Askarov's case are currently ongoing incourts: the Bishkek Inter-District Courtwas to consider yesterday Askarov’s complaint on inaction of the Government ofthe Kyrgyz Republic regarding the execution of the UNHRC’s Decision in 2016. Yesterday,in the Bishkek Inter-District Court, Judge Dosmambetova announced to therepresentatives of the Askarov’s defence that the Court was dissolved on May 8,2020, and therefore cannot consider the case. The consideration of the case wasthus postponed until the authorities determine which court will examine thecase.

Press contact:
· FIDH: Ms. Eva Canan (English, French), +33 6 48 05 91 57 / Email: ecanan@fidh.org (Paris)
· OMCT: Ms. Iolanda Jaquemet +41 79 539 41 06 / Email : ij@omct.org (Geneva)

The Observatory for the Protection ofHuman Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by FIDH and theWorld Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). The objective of this programme isto intervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rightsdefenders. FIDH and OMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human RightsDefenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.