at a Crossroads: the authorities must widen the scene for human rights defenders

Paris-Geneva,June 14, 2016 - As a trial is due to resume tomorrow against the Presidentof Kyrgyzstan for his slanderous statements against two leading Kyrgyz humanrights activists, the Observatory (joint FIDH-OMCT partnership) publishes todaythe main concerns of an international mission conducted last week inpartnership and solidarity with FIDH member organisations, Bir Duino Kyrgyzstanand Kylym Shamy. The international mission aimed to present an Observatoryreport titled “Kyrgyzstan at a Crossroads: Shrink or Widen the Scene for Human RightsDefenders” to the authorities and the media.

The Observatory delegation metwith the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan,the Deputy Prosecutor General, the Deputy Ombudsman, a member of Parliament, aswell as the OSCE Office Representative, the OHCHR Representative, the Head ofthe European Union (EU) Delegation, and representatives from the United States,Switzerland, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Sweden embassies. Besides, aseminar on the situation of human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan and othercountries in the post-Soviet area was organised, with the participation of morethan 50 defenders from different regions of Kyrgyzstan, as well as regionalexperts and human rights defenders from Kazakhstan and Russia. The mission wascomposed of Souhayr Belhassen, FIDH Honorary President (Tunisia), AlesBialiatski, FIDH Vice President and Human Rights Centre “Viasna” President(Belarus), and Alexandra Poméon, Observatory Director at FIDH (France).

The delegation concluded thatwhile the Foreign Agent Bill has been rejected thanks to the importantmobilisation of the Kyrgyz civil society and of the international community,the environment for human rights defenders remains deleterious. The missioncould witness a general context of demonisation of NGOs, regularly accused of"receiving foreign funding", "LGBTI propaganda","foreign interference", or "attempt to destabilise thecountry". During a public speech on May 14, 2016, the President ofKyrgyzstan, Mr. Almazbek Atambayev, resorted to the "foreign agent"terminology to smear Ms. Tolekan Ismailova, President of Bir DuinoKyrgyzstan, and Ms. Aziza Abdirasulova, President of Kylym Shamy. Thetwo NGO Heads subsequently filed a complaint against the Kyrgyz President for"insulting their honour and dignity". Last week, the Observatory delegationobserved the opening of the trial before the Pervomaysk region court of Bishkekon June 8. The next hearing is scheduled for June 15, 2016.

The Observatory firmly deploresthe slanderous statements made last week in a number of pro-government Kyrgyzmedia against its delegates, accusing them, inter alia, of “meddling inthe internal affairs of Kyrgyzstan” and “destabilising the country” in relationwith the mission's human rights and solidarity activities. The delegation alsoregrets that it was again denied the right to visit human rights defender AzimjanAskarov in jail, as it was already the case during a previous Observatorymission in September 2015 in spite of duly-filed requests with the competentauthorities.

At the legislative level, the delegation fears thatrestrictive legislative initiatives might be adopted in Parliament. Inparticular the Bill on the “promotion of non traditional sexualrelationships", which was already voted in second reading, is still onParliament's agenda for a final vote. The delegation was also alerted on the pressure and risksof prosecution faced by journalists and the media, due to the control of mediaoutlets by State officials (TV, radio, Web, newspapers), and to the lack ofindependence and plurality of journalists.

The delegation made a number ofrecommendations to the Kyrgyz authorities which can be found in the reportpublished last week and available here.

TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) wascreated in 1997 by FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). Theobjective of this programme is to intervene to prevent or remedy situations ofrepression against human rights defenders.

For more information, pleasecontact:

· FIDH: Audrey Couprie: +33143552518

· OMCT: Delphine Reculeau / Miguel MartínZumalacárregui: +41 22 809 49 39