Kyrgyzstan
25.04.02
Urgent Interventions
Kyrgyzstan: Perpetrators of police attack against civilians continue to enjoy impunity
Case KGZ 290102.10
Follow-up to case KGZ 290102
Impunity/Reparation
Geneva, April 25th, 2002
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Kyrgyzstan.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), a member of the OMCT network, that a month after the Aksy peaceful demonstration of March 17th, 2002 ended in tragedy, the perpetrators still enjoy impunity.
According to the information received, the perpetrators of the attack against a peaceful demonstration that occurred on March 17th, and 18th, 2002 in Aksy, when the police arbitrarily opened fire at the unarmed crowd, killing and wounding several people, continue to enjoy impunity (see Case 290102.7, 290102.8, 290102.9). A fourth commission has reportedly been established to investigate the circumstances of these events and identify those responsible. The former commission set up under the decree of the Kyrgyz President and chaired by N. Tanaev, the Vice-Premier, had like the current one no independent experts. According to the report, those held to be responsible for the attack have not resigned, among them are A. Karypkulov, the head of the President’s administration, Akmataliev, the Internal Minister, and Abyshkaev, the Attorney General.
According to the information received, none of those reported to have fired at the crowd have been arrested. Sovetbek Tagaev was shot by police chief Danijar Kuluev during the demonstration and died as a result. Mr. Tagaev was reportedly standing away from the crowd when Kuluev fired at his head. Urkinbaev was reportedly shot by a policeman known as Baimurat. Both policemen continue to enjoy impunity.
According to the report, it is feared that the Kyrgyz authorities might arrest Mr. Beknasarov again if he insists on denouncing the Kyrgyz government’s border treaty. Mr. Beknazarov was arrested on January 5th, 2002, and following a hunger strike and several demonstrations, he was released on March 19th, 2002. His arrest is believed to have been politically motivated, and a result of his recent criticism of the Government, most notably the Kyrgyz-Chinese agreement, under which a section of Kyrgyz territory (some 125,000 hectares) was transferred to China, and more recently, he publicly opposed a similar Kyrgyz land transfer to Kazakhstan.
The International Secretariat of OMCT welcomes the Kyrgyz authorities establishment of a commission to investigate the events of March 17th, 18th, 2002, but remains gravely concerned that a month after the tragedy the perpetrators of this attack continue to enjoy impunity, and calls for the establishment of an independent body to investigate the circumstances of these events and bring the culprits to justice in accordance with the law. OMCT fears that the victims of the Aksy events will not be given adequate reparation, and is also gravely concerned for the security of human right defenders and members of the opposition who continue to be harassed by the authorities, recalling in particular, that Ramazan Dyryldaev, chairman of the KCHR, continues to be the object of persecution by the Kyrgyz authorities.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, on March 17th 2002, around 100 residents of Kyzyl-Tuu village headed for Kerben, located at the centre of the Aksy district, to demonstrate in protest of the trial of Mr. Beknazarov, in which a verdict was expected on March 18th 2002. On the way to Kerben, between the villages of Uspenovka and Boz-Piek, the district’s authorities and the special police forces (OMON) reportedly blocked their route and ordered the villagers to turn back. Mr. Shermamat Osmonov, the head of the Aksy district administration, and district prosecutor Abdykalyk Kaldarov, were reportedly among the authorities present at the time. When the demonstrators refused to stop, the OMON reportedly indiscriminately opened fire on the assembled crowd. Several people were wounded and at least 5 died as a result of the authorities’ attack. Following these events, several people who had been arrested during March 18th and 19th, 2002, among them children aged between 16 and 17 years, were arbitrarily detained and tortured by members of the Aksy District Police Department (ROVD).
Action requested :
Please write to the authorities in Kyrgyzstan urging them to:
i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the reports of these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. guarantee adequate reparation to the victims ;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards - notably the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in this case.
Addresses :
· Mr Askar Akayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205, Fax: 996 312 218 627, Email: ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su
· Mr. Kurmanbek Bakiev, Prime Minister, Fax: 996 312 218 627
· Mr. Temirbek Akmataliev, Minister of the Interior, Fax: 996 312 663 031, 996 312 288 788, mail@mvd.bishkek.gov.kg
· Mr. Jakyp Abdyrahmanov, Minister of Justice, Fax: 996 312 663 044, injust@bishkek.gov.kg
Please also write to the embassies of Kyrgyzstan in your respective country.
Geneva, April 25th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up to case KGZ 290102
Impunity/Reparation
Geneva, April 25th, 2002
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Kyrgyzstan.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), a member of the OMCT network, that a month after the Aksy peaceful demonstration of March 17th, 2002 ended in tragedy, the perpetrators still enjoy impunity.
According to the information received, the perpetrators of the attack against a peaceful demonstration that occurred on March 17th, and 18th, 2002 in Aksy, when the police arbitrarily opened fire at the unarmed crowd, killing and wounding several people, continue to enjoy impunity (see Case 290102.7, 290102.8, 290102.9). A fourth commission has reportedly been established to investigate the circumstances of these events and identify those responsible. The former commission set up under the decree of the Kyrgyz President and chaired by N. Tanaev, the Vice-Premier, had like the current one no independent experts. According to the report, those held to be responsible for the attack have not resigned, among them are A. Karypkulov, the head of the President’s administration, Akmataliev, the Internal Minister, and Abyshkaev, the Attorney General.
According to the information received, none of those reported to have fired at the crowd have been arrested. Sovetbek Tagaev was shot by police chief Danijar Kuluev during the demonstration and died as a result. Mr. Tagaev was reportedly standing away from the crowd when Kuluev fired at his head. Urkinbaev was reportedly shot by a policeman known as Baimurat. Both policemen continue to enjoy impunity.
According to the report, it is feared that the Kyrgyz authorities might arrest Mr. Beknasarov again if he insists on denouncing the Kyrgyz government’s border treaty. Mr. Beknazarov was arrested on January 5th, 2002, and following a hunger strike and several demonstrations, he was released on March 19th, 2002. His arrest is believed to have been politically motivated, and a result of his recent criticism of the Government, most notably the Kyrgyz-Chinese agreement, under which a section of Kyrgyz territory (some 125,000 hectares) was transferred to China, and more recently, he publicly opposed a similar Kyrgyz land transfer to Kazakhstan.
The International Secretariat of OMCT welcomes the Kyrgyz authorities establishment of a commission to investigate the events of March 17th, 18th, 2002, but remains gravely concerned that a month after the tragedy the perpetrators of this attack continue to enjoy impunity, and calls for the establishment of an independent body to investigate the circumstances of these events and bring the culprits to justice in accordance with the law. OMCT fears that the victims of the Aksy events will not be given adequate reparation, and is also gravely concerned for the security of human right defenders and members of the opposition who continue to be harassed by the authorities, recalling in particular, that Ramazan Dyryldaev, chairman of the KCHR, continues to be the object of persecution by the Kyrgyz authorities.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, on March 17th 2002, around 100 residents of Kyzyl-Tuu village headed for Kerben, located at the centre of the Aksy district, to demonstrate in protest of the trial of Mr. Beknazarov, in which a verdict was expected on March 18th 2002. On the way to Kerben, between the villages of Uspenovka and Boz-Piek, the district’s authorities and the special police forces (OMON) reportedly blocked their route and ordered the villagers to turn back. Mr. Shermamat Osmonov, the head of the Aksy district administration, and district prosecutor Abdykalyk Kaldarov, were reportedly among the authorities present at the time. When the demonstrators refused to stop, the OMON reportedly indiscriminately opened fire on the assembled crowd. Several people were wounded and at least 5 died as a result of the authorities’ attack. Following these events, several people who had been arrested during March 18th and 19th, 2002, among them children aged between 16 and 17 years, were arbitrarily detained and tortured by members of the Aksy District Police Department (ROVD).
Action requested :
Please write to the authorities in Kyrgyzstan urging them to:
i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the reports of these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. guarantee adequate reparation to the victims ;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards - notably the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in this case.
Addresses :
· Mr Askar Akayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205, Fax: 996 312 218 627, Email: ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su
· Mr. Kurmanbek Bakiev, Prime Minister, Fax: 996 312 218 627
· Mr. Temirbek Akmataliev, Minister of the Interior, Fax: 996 312 663 031, 996 312 288 788, mail@mvd.bishkek.gov.kg
· Mr. Jakyp Abdyrahmanov, Minister of Justice, Fax: 996 312 663 044, injust@bishkek.gov.kg
Please also write to the embassies of Kyrgyzstan in your respective country.
Geneva, April 25th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.