Human rights defenders in southern Kyrgyzstan have become victims of regular beatings, attacks, threats, and harassment. Human rights organisations and lawyers representing those arrested during the violence in June 2010 have been consistently harassed by the authorities and violently attacked by private individuals.

Further Information

In June 2010, an outbreak of violence engulfed southern Kyrgyzstan, as ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks clashed, leaving hundreds of people dead, thousands homeless, and entire Uzbek neighbourhoods burned to the ground.

On 12 October 2010 at approximately 16.00 two unidentified men entered the offices of Spravedlivost (/Justice/), a human rights organisation based in the town of Jalal-Abad, in southern Kyrgyzstan. The men asked questions about the organisation and inquired about the names and contact details of staff members working there. Mr Abdulmalik Sharipov,Programme Coordinator of Spravedlivost, explained that the organisation provides legal aid to all persons who require such assistance.

The men demanded that lawyers defending persons accused of taking part in riots during the outbreak of violence in June cease performing their legal duties and sit in silence during court proceedings. The men said they were relatives of those killed on the road between Bishkek and Osh in June 2010. They stated that the accused should not be imprisoned but should in fact be shot. The men threatened the members of Spravedlivost if the lawyers do not keep silent during the trial.

According to human rights organisation Kylym Shamy, a similar incident occurred on 13 October 2010 in which Ms Tatiana Tomina and Ms Dilbar Turdinova, lawyers representing persons accused of killing two traffic police officers during the violence in June, were severely beaten.

The trial of the accused was scheduled to begin at 14.00 in the military garrison in Osh. The military garrison was chosen to reinforce the protection of the defendant and his lawyers. A large crowd had gathered in front of the garrison in anticipation of the arrival of the accused and his legal team.

According to defence lawyer Tatiana Tomina, as the accused Mr Suhbatullo Nizamhodzhoev was making his way through the crowd to enter the military garrison he was attacked and beaten by the crowd. He suffered two broken ribs, and was severely beaten about the head and face and was hospitalised as a result of his injuries. Tatiana Tomina and Dilbar Turdinova were both attacked, and hospitalised as a result of injuries sustained. Tatiana Tomina added that another two men and one woman who are relatives of the defendant were also hospitalised as a result of their injuries. Although there were police and soldiers present at the time they failed to intervene in the attack.

According to Kylym Shamy, on 14 October 2010, two more lawyers, Ms Nazgul Suyumbaeva and Ms Dinara Turdumamatova, were attacked at the military garrison in Osh, during another hearing.

To date, the manner in which the government has investigated the violence that occurred in June, has seriously violated both Kyrgyz and international law. Front Line views these incidents as illustrative of the deteriorating situation for human rights defenders in the context of the violence taking place in southern Kyrgyzstan. Front Line has previously issued an appeal on similar attacks on the lawyer of human rights defender Azimjan Askarov, Mr Nurbek Toktakunov.

Front Line fears that such attacks on, and intimidation of lawyers has become a trend in Kyrgyzstan that hampers the work of the whole judicial system. Front Line is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of human rights lawyers who represent persons accused of committing crimes during the outbreak of violence in June 2010.