Kyrgyzstan: Frustrations about Corruption and Lack of Fair Trials are Reaching a Boiling Point

Bishkek, Vienna, 14 September 2006. The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) and the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR) are deeply concerned that frustration with growing corruption, nepotism, political manipulation of the judicial system and other problems are reaching a point that, absent credible efforts by the Bakiev government to address these issues, the country faces serious instability.

A mass rally is planned for 17 September in the town of Aksy, where in Mach 2002 demonstrators against the arrest of the Member of Parliament A.Beknazarov were shot.  The meeting is organized by the ASABA party leaded by A.Beknazarov and the movement FOR REFORMS, a coalition of NGOs, and opposition leaders including O.Tekebaev, who faced apparently trumped-up charges by the government of drug-smuggling but was released when Polish officials refused to arrest him in Warsaw on 8 September.

The rally is to seek support for mass demonstrations calling for the resignation of President Kurmanbek Bakiev and Prime Minister Felix Kulov.  The Kyrgyz Parliament has voted, albeit without a quorum, remove President Baliev’s relatives from positions of power, and to fire numerous government ministers.

In some respects human rights have improved in Kyrgyzstan since the ouster of President A.Akaev in March 2005 and the subsequent election of K. Bakiev in July 2005.  Media enjoy more freedom, although many are controlled by the family of the president.  But Kyrgyz NGOs report that nepotism is as egregious as it was under Akaev, with relatives of President Bakiev assuming more and more important political and business positions.

“According to reports to the IHF, corruption in Kyrgyzstan penetrates even more deeply now than in the previous regime,” according to Aaron Rhodes, Executive Director of the IHF.  “The local human rights community, which made great sacrifices in the struggle for a decent government, feels betrayed.”

Indeed, human rights defender Azimzhan Askarov faces criminal proceedings after publishing an article in the journal of the NGO “Justice,” based in Jalalabad.  According to information received by the IHF, other members of the organization have been extorted by a lieutenant of the regional police after exposing cases of torture.

For further information:

Aaron Rhodes, IHF Executive Director, +43-(0)676-635 66 12

Almaz Dyrydaev, Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights, +43-(0)699-11 98 77 02