Kyrgyzstan
08.02.01
Urgent Interventions
Kyrgystan: legal proceedings
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
KGZ 005 / 0011 / OBS 118.01
Legal proceedings
KYRGYZSTAN
8th February 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, 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 the trial of Mr. Ravshan Gapirov, the Director of the Kara-Suu Human Rights Center "Pravosudie Istina", began on January 26, 2001.
He has been released from detention and ordered not to leave the area.
Mr. Gapirov is charged with hooliganism (article 234, Criminal Code of Kyrgyz Republic), arbitrariness (article 353) and fraud (article 234).
The Observatory considers this judicial procedure to be arbitrary, as it most probably constitutes an act of retaliation against Gapirov’s human rights activities in Osh region.
Brief reminder of the situation :
The Observatory had been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), that Mr. Ravshan Gapirov, the Director of the Kara-Suu Human Rights Center "Pravosudie Istina", was arrested on November 21st 2000. He was put in detention in Kara-Suu ROVD (district police station) and later transferred to Osh prison.
His colleagues are certain that the charges are forged because the director of the human rights center has a long history of conflict with local militia.
In September 2000, he organised a public forum on the problems of terrorism in the South of the Kyrgyz Republic and neighbouring Uzbekistan. He was severely beaten by Koshoev, the deputy Head of the militia, after protesting the arrest of several participants at the meeting (see urgent appeal of the Observatory KGZ 004/0009/OBS 100). Koshoev then forced witnesses, through threats, to sign the documents. Gapirov was not provided with any medical aid.
Mr. Gapirov is very active in cross-border relations with Uzbekistan. In November 2000, he led a local community's advocacy campaign to stop the demolition of a historical bridge linking the two countries. Recently Mr. Gapirov's activity also focused on investigating a corruption scandal that is connected to the privatisation of the Kara-Suu Bazaar, one of the largest bazaars in the Ferghana Valley. He is also an active member of the Coalition of NGOs for Democracy and Civil Society. During the presidential elections Mr. Gapirov served as a long term election observer and helped to recruit and train more than twenty election day non-partisan observers and revealed numerous violations committed by the authorities.
Actions requested :
Please write to the Kyrgyz authorities demanding that they :
i. ensure that Ravshan Gapirov receives a fair and impartial trial and drop the charges against him as they are arbitrary ;
ii. put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations ;
iii. ensure the implementation 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 " and article 6.c which provides that « everyone has the right, individually and in association with others to study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters »;
iv. 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 Akaev, Kyrgyzskaya Republika, 720 003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205. Fax : (+996) 312 218 627.
- The Prime Minister, Amangedi Muraliev, Chui Av. 205, Bishkek c. Fax : (+996) 312 218 627
- The Minister of the Interior, Omurbek Kutuev. Frunze Str., 469, Bishkek c. Fax : (+996) 312 663 031
- Mrs. Nelya Beishenalieva, Orozbekov Str., Bishkek c. Fax : (+996) 312 663 044
Geneva-Paris, 8th February, 2001
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
KGZ 005 / 0011 / OBS 118.01
Legal proceedings
KYRGYZSTAN
8th February 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, 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 the trial of Mr. Ravshan Gapirov, the Director of the Kara-Suu Human Rights Center "Pravosudie Istina", began on January 26, 2001.
He has been released from detention and ordered not to leave the area.
Mr. Gapirov is charged with hooliganism (article 234, Criminal Code of Kyrgyz Republic), arbitrariness (article 353) and fraud (article 234).
The Observatory considers this judicial procedure to be arbitrary, as it most probably constitutes an act of retaliation against Gapirov’s human rights activities in Osh region.
Brief reminder of the situation :
The Observatory had been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), that Mr. Ravshan Gapirov, the Director of the Kara-Suu Human Rights Center "Pravosudie Istina", was arrested on November 21st 2000. He was put in detention in Kara-Suu ROVD (district police station) and later transferred to Osh prison.
His colleagues are certain that the charges are forged because the director of the human rights center has a long history of conflict with local militia.
In September 2000, he organised a public forum on the problems of terrorism in the South of the Kyrgyz Republic and neighbouring Uzbekistan. He was severely beaten by Koshoev, the deputy Head of the militia, after protesting the arrest of several participants at the meeting (see urgent appeal of the Observatory KGZ 004/0009/OBS 100). Koshoev then forced witnesses, through threats, to sign the documents. Gapirov was not provided with any medical aid.
Mr. Gapirov is very active in cross-border relations with Uzbekistan. In November 2000, he led a local community's advocacy campaign to stop the demolition of a historical bridge linking the two countries. Recently Mr. Gapirov's activity also focused on investigating a corruption scandal that is connected to the privatisation of the Kara-Suu Bazaar, one of the largest bazaars in the Ferghana Valley. He is also an active member of the Coalition of NGOs for Democracy and Civil Society. During the presidential elections Mr. Gapirov served as a long term election observer and helped to recruit and train more than twenty election day non-partisan observers and revealed numerous violations committed by the authorities.
Actions requested :
Please write to the Kyrgyz authorities demanding that they :
i. ensure that Ravshan Gapirov receives a fair and impartial trial and drop the charges against him as they are arbitrary ;
ii. put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations ;
iii. ensure the implementation 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 " and article 6.c which provides that « everyone has the right, individually and in association with others to study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters »;
iv. 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 Akaev, Kyrgyzskaya Republika, 720 003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205. Fax : (+996) 312 218 627.
- The Prime Minister, Amangedi Muraliev, Chui Av. 205, Bishkek c. Fax : (+996) 312 218 627
- The Minister of the Interior, Omurbek Kutuev. Frunze Str., 469, Bishkek c. Fax : (+996) 312 663 031
- Mrs. Nelya Beishenalieva, Orozbekov Str., Bishkek c. Fax : (+996) 312 663 044
Geneva-Paris, 8th February, 2001
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