10.08.2006

Kyrgyz government relayed five Andijon refugees from Osh county jail.

Alisher Saipov 

The IA “Fergana.ru” just found out that today at about 15:00 hours local time, Kyrgyzstan relayed five refugees located in Osh county jail to Uzbekistan. Their names are: Djahangir Maksudov, Rasul Pirmatov, Odiljon Rahimov, Yakub Tashbaev, and Faez Tadjihaliev.  

Relay of the refugees that are accused by the Prosecutor General of Uzbekistan of participating in the Andijon events of last year, was executed through the border post “Dustlik,” which is located on the border of Osh Oblast of Kyrgyzstan and Andijon Oblast of Uzbekistan.  

The Kyrgyz government did not inform either the local department of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, attorneys, or human rights activists about refugees’ return to Uzbekistan.  

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Andijon refugees from Osh county jail were returned to Uzbekistan without proper paperwork.

09.08.2006 17:47 msk

 Personal information

 Cholpon Jakupova, manager of the Kyrgyz human rights organization “Adilet,” declared that the head of the Osh county jail did not have proper documentation necessary for criminals’ return to Uzbekistan. According to Cholpon Jakupova, who served as counsel to the Uzbek refugees, their return was in violation of not only Kyrgyzstan’s international commitments, but also Kyrgyzstan’s internal law. This return also took place despite the fact that the event was witnessed by representatives of the office of the prosecutor general of Kyrgyz Republic, who were supposed to see to it that no laws were broken in the process.

 It has also become clear today that four of the five refugees returned to Uzbekistan were recognized as refugees by the Geneva Convention for human rights. The Convention advised Kyrgyz government not to make any decisions with regards to returning the refugees to Uzbekistan. As for the fifth refugee, he did not even have a court decision refusing his petition to have a refugee status.

Chairman of the Kyrgyz Presidential Commission for Human Rights Tursunbek Akun declared in his interview on radio “Azattyk” (Kyrgyz service of the radio “Liberty”) that he and the Commission categorically denounce return of the refugees to Tashkent.

 Tursunbek Akun expressed his regrets that office of the Prosecutor General made such decision. Tursunbek Akun is of the opinion that such decision is a violation of human and, in particular, refugee rights. “It should be forbidden to return prosecuted individuals to the country where they will inevitably face repression and torture,” T.Akun said. Commission for Human Rights intends to demand resignation of the Prosecutor General of Kyrgyzstan.