The case of Azimzhan Askarov is a "sore point" for Kyrgyzstan
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Four years after the death of human rights defender Azimzhan Askarov, his fellow human rights defenders continue to work on his rehabilitation.
Azimzhan Askarov was born on 17 May, 1951 in the village of Bazar-Korgon, Jalal-Abad oblast. He was an artist by education, but a true human rights activist in spirit. After spending many years defending the rights of citizens, he became a victim of cruel and sophisticated torture. Even in prison, he did not lose his fortitude and helped the prisoners. Having failed to receive high-quality qualified medical care in time, Askarov died on 25 July 2020, while serving a life sentence in penal colony No. 47.
... On 17 May 2024 Azimzhan Askarov would have turned 73.
The memory of the human rights defender lives on largely thanks to his faithful wife. Khadicha Askarova hopes for a fair rehabilitation of her husband's memory. In this regard, she has been supported for many years by the staff of the Public Association "Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan". Together we went through more than fifty trials, many of them were held with violations, human rights defenders received threats and experienced pressure. In 2021, BDK appealed to President Sadyr Japarov with a request for Askarov's posthumous acquittal.
Given that Kyrgyzstan has been elected a member of the Human Rights Council, there is still hope that the country will comply with the Views of the UN Human Rights Committee to restore the human rights defender's honest name, recognize him as a prisoner of conscience and pay proper compensation to his family. Compliance with the law will be proof of the humane, respectful attitude of the authorities towards citizens. Implementation of the recommendations of the international human rights body would inspire the entire Central Asian region.
Please, be reminded that the case of Azimzhan Askarov is under the supervision of Ms. Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, as well as under the scrutiny of Kyrgyzstan's key international partners. "Askarov's death in prison is a stain on the human rights record of the Government of Kyrgyzstan," M. Lawlor noted in July 2020.
"There are no former human rights defenders… I remain committed to the cause of human rights," Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the KR Edil Baisalov said in an interview with an RFI journalist during the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in December 2023. Asked by RFI's Gelya Pevzner whether the process of restoring justice to Azimzhan Askarov and his family was underway, Baisalov recalled that he had repeatedly commented on the inconsistency between the facts of the case and the charges.
"Of course, the case of Azimzhan Askarov remains a sore point for Kyrgyzstan. I am in contact with human rights organizations and representatives of Askarov's family. I have repeatedly stated that the background of Askarov's case does not correspond to the accusation that he was in any way involved in any murders. It is simply impossible to believe this, and there is not a single fact in his case that would indicate this. He is a victim of those bloody events. It's a great misfortune, he paid the ultimate price and we didn't manage to save him. However, I am sure that over time, historians and investigators will restore justice and reconstruct the true picture of the circumstances of his accusation. Of course, I personally do not want this to remain a spot on the reputation of our state," Baisalov replied.
Respect for the rights of citizens and respect for the rule of law are integral parts of a democratic State.
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Contact details:
PA "Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan"
258 Sydykov str., Bishkek
+996 (772) 163-229