Supreme Court Upheld Human Rights Defender Azimjan Askarov's Life Sentence In An Appalling Decision

THEOBSERVATORY – JOINT PRESS RELEASE

Paris - Geneva - Bishkek,May 13, 2020 – Today, theSupreme Court of Kyrgyzstan upheld journalist and human rights defender AzimjanAskarov’s life sentence, in a hearing marred with irregularities. Askarov has been arbitrarily detainedfor 10 years and remains in prison, where his health is deteriorating quickly,despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The Observatory (FIDH-OMCT), BirDuino-Kyrgyzstan human rights movement, and Kylym Shamy human rights centrecall upon the authorities in Kyrgyzstan to immediately release Azimjan Askarov onhumanitarian grounds.

On Wednesday May 13, 2020 at 2 p.m., Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Courtconsidered the cassation complaint filed by journalist and human rightsdefender Azimjan Askarov against an earlier verdict of the Chui OblastCourt, which had upheld his life sentence on January 24, 2017.

In a hearing marred withirregularities, which many representatives from diplomatic missions wereprevented from attending while a hostile crowd was allowed to attend, to insultand to make accusations against Mr. Askarov and other human rights defenders,the Supreme Court eventually confirmed Mr. Askarov’s sentencing to life inprison today. Azimjan Askarov will appeal this decision before the UN HumanRights Committee.

“I am shocked by whathappened in Kyrgyzstan's highest court today! Impunity in Askarov's casecontinues. There is no political will in Kyrgyzstan for reforms andimplementation of United Nations decisions”, said Tolekan Ismailova,FIDH Vice President and President of Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan, who attended thehearing yesterday. “Amid this Covid-19 pandemic, we ask the authorities toimmediately release Azimjan Askarov on humanitarian grounds”, sheadded.

Mr. Askarov's lawyers andMs. Tolekan Ismailova received death threats from the relatives of the killedpolice officer. The police officers present at the hearing did not take anymeasures against the aggressive behavior of the crowd, thus condoning theviolent threats and insults against Mr. Askarov's defence team.

Mr. Askarov is 68years old and has suffered for years from deteriorating health, includingcardiac and respiratory problems. He did not receive appropriate and adequatemedical attention while in detention. Mr. Askarov is among the population thatis at high risk of being disproportionately affected by Covid-19.

“In light of the many violations of due process and fairtrial rights, the torture he was subjected to and his deteriorating health,Askarov should not spend another day behind bars!”, concluded GeraldStaberock, OMCT Secretary General.

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.

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.