Press release of the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights

On January 30-31 Central Asian Regional Conference on Human Dimensions: "Responsibilities and Challenges" was held in Bishkek.

The conference was organized by International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (Vienna, Austria), Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic) and International League of Human Rights (New York, USA).

Human rights NGOs from all Central Asian states, Moscow, Bulgaria, Germany, delegation of OSCE from Bulgaria (chairing this year), OSCE centers from Central Asian states, deputies of Kyrgyz Parliament, independent mass media from Bishkek, delegation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria participated in the conference.

The conference discussed issues of "Observational conference of OSCE on Human Dimensions in Warsaw for 2003", Combating terrorism and human rights situation in Central Asian states, Elections, Freedom of speech and mass media, Tortures in the region.

The participants of the conference condemned authoritarian regimes in the region, accepted a resolution and appeals to the executive chair, minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria on human rights situation in Central Asia. The letter in particular of Kyrgyzstan reflects unpunishment of guilty people in Aksy tragedy, case of the leader of political party "Ar-namys"F. Kulov and deprivation of registration of KCHR. Foreign guests in the eve of the conference got acquainted with the work of KCHR that was deprived of registration and with its regional members.

The participants of the conference expressed gratitude to KCHR for well organized conference.

Press service of KCHR

February 2, 2004