No Justice for Activist Death in Kyrgyzstan Prison

It’s been four years Human rights defender Azimjun Askarov from southern Kyrgyzstan has died in detention. He had been in prison for ten years, suffering torture and neglect, when he died on 25 July 2020. Finally, due to his deteriorating health, he was refused release on humanitarian grounds.

A talented painter, journalist and human rights defender who dedicated his career to documenting prison conditions and police abuse of detainees, he was 73. He was widely respected internationally as a committed political prisoner. His death came as a shock to many of his supporters.

Askarov, an Uzbek, was once a life imprisonment follow Unfair trial Related to June 2010 racial conflict Southern Kyrgyzstan. He is charged with a number of trumped-up crimes, including inciting ethnic hatred and participating in the murder of a policeman. March 2016The United Nations Human Rights Committee determined that Askarov’s detention was arbitrarily and called for his immediate release, but to no avail.

Kyrgyzstan’s prison service said Askarov Death COVID-19 complications. An initial investigation led by the same prison administration was closed in June 2021 after they claimed Lack of evidence.

Amid strong protests from the international community, the survey Reopening In September 2021, the case was assigned to the National Security Committee. However, the investigation has ignored requests for updates, despite repeated requests from human rights group Bir Duino, which represents Askarov’s widow, Khadicha Askarova, and despite a recent court order for more witness interviews.

exist December 2023Edir Baisarov, deputy chairman of the Kyrgyz government cabinet, said in an interview that he did not believe Askarov was guilty of the charges against him. “I have repeatedly said that the circumstances of Askarov’s case do not correspond to the allegations that he was in any way involved in the murder. This is simply unbelievable, and there are no facts in his case that would indicate this.” He said Askarov was “a victim of these bloody events.”

Askarov’s death is a shameful stain on Kyrgyzstan’s human rights record. The Kyrgyz government must respect the decision of the UN Human Rights Committee, quash Askarov’s conviction, complete an impartial investigation, and provide his family with appropriate compensation and correct.