Employees of the Institute of Ombudsman of the Kyrgyz Republic monitored a peaceful rally under the slogan «For Justice and Freedom», which took place in the capital’s Maxim Gorky park on Friday. Press service of the Ombudsman reports.
«About 200 relatives and supporters of 27 detainees in Kempir-Abad case took part in the rally. Erkin Bulekbaev, ex-chairman of the state financial police service, leader of Green Party of Kyrgyzstan, ex-ombudsman Tursunbek Akun, former member of the interim government Ismail Isakov and others were also seen at the rally.
Kasiyet Mamyrbai, the daughter of the detained Rita Karasartova, said that relatives were not allowed to meet with the detainees, they are not allowed to have telephone conversations with them.
It can be concluded that the authorities are moving toward authoritarianism through intimidation. The purpose of the rally was to speak out against the intimidation of people and the oppression of freedom of speech,» the statement says.
The Institute of Ombudsman emphasizes that they have been monitoring the case from the very beginning — from the moment the activists and human rights activists were detained. Also, court hearings on the choice of a measure of restraint for those under investigation and arrest are monitored.
«Only Ombudsman and employees of the Ombudsman’s Institute visit them in the remand center 1 to get acquainted with the conditions of detention. Ombudsperson Atyr Abdrakhmatova appealed to the Speaker of the Parliament three times with a call to consider at a meeting the issue of observing the rights of detainees in Kempir-Abad case,» the Ombudsman’s Institute notes.
About 200 people participated in the rally. They put forward a demand to release the detainees held in the pre-trial detention center and signed a resolution.
The Committee for protection of Kempir-Abad reservoir was created on October 22. It includes activists, politicians and MPs. On the same day, in an interview with Kabar news agency, President Sadyr Japarov said: the authorities have information who was behind the rallies and marches on Kempir-Abad issue.
Mass arrests began on October 23. Authorities placed 26 people in jail on charges of preparing for riots.
A number of international human rights organizations such as the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC), the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR), Freedom Now and others issued a statement calling for the immediate release of politicians and activists arrested in Kyrgyzstan.
Source: 24.kg News Agency