The life-changing arrest
Июн 16.2023
"I am grateful to my family and people, who are supporting me from five continents of the world and fighting for my release," Azimzhan Askarov said in his address on 27 May, 2020 (http://birduino.kg/pressaru/golos-uznika-sovesti-azimzhana-askarova).
13 years ago, on 15 June 2010, human rights activist Azimzhan Askarov was arrested during the tragic events in the south of Kyrgyzstan. According to national and international organizations, the human rights defender was arrested due to the fact that he documented information about the dead and wounded persons, facts of looting and pogroms during the riots in June 2010. His arrest was also related to his human rights activities and protection of citizens in cases of torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement agencies of the Jalal-Abad region.
This arrest became the starting point of a series of events that led to the death of the human rights defender in custody. He was subjected to the cruelest, sophisticated and prolonged torture: he was beaten, insulted and humiliated. He told his family that he was afraid that he would not live to see the trial.
He was denied access to a fair trial, his lawyers were pressured, some of his colleagues in the field of human rights turned their backs on him, a targeted information campaign made him an "enemy of the people." He stayed in such isolation for ten years, hoping that the trial would be fair and he would be acquitted of the charges.
Askarov spent 10 years in poor conditions, which amount to ill-treatment. He was not provided with timely qualified medical care. He was seriously ill, but tried to hold on, knowing that his faithful wife Khadicha and his relatives were waiting for him. While serving his life sentence in colony No. 47, Azimzhan Askarov died on 25 July, 2020.
His case became indicative in terms of the procedural violations during the arrest and investigation, dubious testimony of witnesses, ignoring the arguments of the defense. For many years, exhausting trials continued, to which he was taken in chains guarded by two dozen armed persons. At almost every trial, his relatives and friends were attacked by aggressive groups of individuals. He did not find justice within the walls of the courts…
The UN Human Rights Committee, which examined his case on 31 March 2016, found that Askarov was a victim of torture, cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment. It also found that the State, in violation of its contractual obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, violated his rights and freedoms, failed to provide an effective remedy established by law and provided for by the legal system of the State, that the human rights defender was subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention in violation of procedures established by law.
On the memorable day of 15 June 2023, human rights defenders remind of the need to implement the Views of the UN Human Rights Committee on the case of Askarov through posthumous acquittal and provision of decent compensation to his family.
Despite numerous petitions from international and human rights organizations, heads of state and public figures about the illegality of the conviction of Azimzhan Askarov, the authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic did not want to release him from prison, thereby ignoring the decisions of the UN Human Rights Committee.
In 2011, the Czech Foundation "People in Need" gave the Homo Homini award ("Man to Man") to A. Askarov. In 2012, A. Askarov was given the International Press Freedom Award of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). In 2015, A. Askarov was given the Human Rights Defender Award by the U.S. Department of State, to which the leadership of Kyrgyzstan reacted negatively.
Azimzhan Askarov had always remained a human rights defender. He has become a symbol of the struggle for justice, which is as important to citizens as the air they breathe. "Air" was the name of the human rights organization that he headed.
It is important to preserve and strengthen our commitment to human rights ideals, to continue the daily struggle for justice in every case of human rights violation.
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In case of any queries, please, do not hesitate to contact the HRM "Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan": birduinokyrgyzstan@gmail, lawyer Valerian Vakhitov: 0703407293.
