Azimjan Askarov is a human rights defender who has spent 25 years documenting human rights abuses in Kyrgyzstan. He is serving a life sentence after an unfair trial during which he was beaten in detention and denied access to his lawyer.

In 2010 Azimjan was convicted – solely on the basis of a confession beaten out of him – of involvement in the killing of a policeman during recent interethnic violence. No credible evidence was presented against him. The national Ombudsman, who carried out a parallel investigation, said that the charges against him were clearly politically motivated. Azimjan had been working on documenting the human rights violations committed in this region previous to his detention. He had been collecting data about those who had been killed and injured during the recent ethnic conflict. According to Ms Valentina Gritsenko, chairwoman of the NGO Spravedlivost (Justice) based in Jalalabad, Azimjan Askarov had obtained video footage of atrocities which had taken place, and the police were aware of that.

Updates

11/04/2011 - Azimjan's trial was due to start again on the 12th April but now has been postponed indefinitely.

05/04/2011 - Civil society representatives visiting Brussels from Kyrgyzstan have called for the European Union to support Kyrgyzstan in its bid to become Central Asia’s first parliamentary democracy - See here for further infomation

29/03/2011 - Martin Sheen joins Front Line in campaigning for the release of Azimjan Askarov in Kyrgyzstan -Watch on YouTube

09/03/2011 - Azimjan wins International Human Rights Award. He wins the Homo Homini award for his efforts in Southern Kyrgyzstan.

11/02/2011 - UPDATEHearing in Supreme Court is postponed again

27/01/2011 - UPDATE The hearing has been suspended for ten days.

26/01/2011 - UPDATE Azimjan's trial is due to take place tomorrow.

21/01/2011 - Upcoming Supreme Court appeal of Azimjan

11/01/2011 - UPDATE The appeal before the Supreme Court is scheduled for 26 January in Bishkek

10/12/2010 - Azimjan's case becomes one of the ten long term cases taken on by Front Line, 'Ten on the Tenth' The event was launched with ten well known faces taking part in a photo-call in Dublin on Human Rights Defenders Day to be launched on Human Rights Day in Dublin. Joining us were well known faces from the media, from the world of entertainment and from many other organisations working on the rights of the marginalised.

02/12/2010 - Take Action Open letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to bring up the case of Azimjan Askarov during her official visit - Click here to read the open letter

10/11/2010 - UPDATE Azimjan Askarov at risk of torture as life sentence upheld: read here for further information

10/11/2010 - UPDATE The life sentence is confirmed in an appeal

08/11/2010 - UPDATE See here

04/11/2010 - UPDATE The initial session of Azimjan's appeal hearing went ahead yesterday (3/11/2010) as expected. Despite the fact that it got underway without the scenes of violence and intimidation of the previous trial, Front line are still concerned about aspects of due process and credible allegations of torture against the defendants. Please continue to support Azimjan as he appeals his life sentence.

03/11/2010 - Azimjan Askarov continues his appeal against his life sentence after a trial marked by violence and intimidation - See here for further information

02/11/2010 - Take Action Azimjan's trial is due to take place tomorrow (03/11/2010) Front Line are calling on you to take action TODAY . Call the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Rep in LONDON-ask to speak to Ambassador Kuban Mambetaliev. Specify that you are calling to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Azimjan & state that you want the allegations of torture investigated thoroughly.Call +442079351462 and help us to FREE AZIMJAN! If you would prefer you can call any of the embassies of the Kyrgyz Republic. Here are a few of the bigger ones; Washington +1(202) 449 9822; Geneva 0041 22 707 9220; Brussels (32-2) 648 1868; Berlin (49-30) 34 78 13 37/8

Letters may also be sent to the President with the same points! President Roza Otunbaeva Dom Pravitelstva Bishkek 720003, KYRGYZSTAN Fax: +996 312 62 50 12 Email: admin@kyrgyz-el.kg

27/10/2010 - UPDATE The next hearing of Azimjan Askarov is scheduled for Wednesday 3rd November.

22/10/2010 - Appeal hearing starting on Monday is test of credibility of new government - Appeal hearing

22/10/2010 - Please join the campaign to free Azimjan Askarov. he has been given life sentence in a trial that was politically motivated and unfair -See here the case on behalf of Azimjan Askarov