Kyrgyzstan
01.09.00
Urgent Interventions
Kyrgyzstan: Continuing harassment of KCHR activists/continuing legal proceedings
URGENT ACTION - THE OBSERVATORY
New Information
KGZ 001 / 0005 / OBS 036.08
Continuing harassment of KCHR activists/continuing legal proceedings
Kyrgyzstan
1st September 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 the Pervomai district court has seized all the bank accounts of the KCHR. This means that all funds from donor organisations will be withdrawn immediately.
Furthermore, there have been recent developments concerning the case of Ramazan/KCHR – Eliseev. On 29th August 2000, Bishkek city court considered Eliseev’s complaint, in the absence of the KCHR representatives, and ruled for second time to re-employ Eliseev at the KCHR. This decision is unlawful and contradicts the Labour Code of the Kyrgyz Republic under article 354 (2) which states that disputes on electoral posts of public associations are not to be settled in court. Furthermore, it is noted that following the first ruling re-instating Eliseev, he failed to turn up at work and organised a press-conference stating that the KCHR was misinforming the West in order to negatively present Government activities. On a number of occasions, the KCHR staff noted Eliseev’s absence from work and submitted this to the court. This ruling follows the Bishkek city court decision, on 14th July 2000, to uphold a decision of 27th December 1999 of the Pervomai district court to fine the KCHR and Ramazan Dyryldaev (840USD). This is the 7th fine to be paid to Eliseev.
The Kyrgyz authorities are taking measures to expropriate the property of the KCHR. On 28th August 2000, at 11:15am, the court executors, together with A. Eliseev, former deputy director of the KCHR (See below), visited the office of the KCHR located on Kievskaya str. 96 A, Room 713 and demanded to see the furniture and other property. Even though all the furniture was in place, they noted that there was no furniture in the office with goal, probably to accuse the KCHR of preventing the execution of the court’s decision. This visit is connected to charges against Dyryldaev based on a complaint made by Eliseev, former acting deputy chair of the KCHR who was fired from his position in December 1997 when Dyryldaev’s KCHR had been de-registered and replaced by a bogus association directed by Botaliev.
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, in particular the current legal proceedings against the KCHR and its members;
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. »
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 Akayev, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205 Fax: + 996 (312) 218 627 E-mail:ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su
Geneva, Paris, 1st September 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 036.08
Continuing harassment of KCHR activists/continuing legal proceedings
Kyrgyzstan
1st September 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 the Pervomai district court has seized all the bank accounts of the KCHR. This means that all funds from donor organisations will be withdrawn immediately.
Furthermore, there have been recent developments concerning the case of Ramazan/KCHR – Eliseev. On 29th August 2000, Bishkek city court considered Eliseev’s complaint, in the absence of the KCHR representatives, and ruled for second time to re-employ Eliseev at the KCHR. This decision is unlawful and contradicts the Labour Code of the Kyrgyz Republic under article 354 (2) which states that disputes on electoral posts of public associations are not to be settled in court. Furthermore, it is noted that following the first ruling re-instating Eliseev, he failed to turn up at work and organised a press-conference stating that the KCHR was misinforming the West in order to negatively present Government activities. On a number of occasions, the KCHR staff noted Eliseev’s absence from work and submitted this to the court. This ruling follows the Bishkek city court decision, on 14th July 2000, to uphold a decision of 27th December 1999 of the Pervomai district court to fine the KCHR and Ramazan Dyryldaev (840USD). This is the 7th fine to be paid to Eliseev.
The Kyrgyz authorities are taking measures to expropriate the property of the KCHR. On 28th August 2000, at 11:15am, the court executors, together with A. Eliseev, former deputy director of the KCHR (See below), visited the office of the KCHR located on Kievskaya str. 96 A, Room 713 and demanded to see the furniture and other property. Even though all the furniture was in place, they noted that there was no furniture in the office with goal, probably to accuse the KCHR of preventing the execution of the court’s decision. This visit is connected to charges against Dyryldaev based on a complaint made by Eliseev, former acting deputy chair of the KCHR who was fired from his position in December 1997 when Dyryldaev’s KCHR had been de-registered and replaced by a bogus association directed by Botaliev.
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, in particular the current legal proceedings against the KCHR and its members;
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. »
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 Akayev, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205 Fax: + 996 (312) 218 627 E-mail:ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su
Geneva, Paris, 1st September 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