ASKAROV Case

Mr. Askarov, a prominent human rights defender and Director of the human rights organisation “Vozdukh” (Air) based in Jalalabad region, was arrested on June 15, 2010 by agents of Bazar Korgon police department for allegedly having urged ethnic Uzbeks, along with other leaders of the Uzbek community, to take as an hostage the district official Mr. A. Artykov, for having ordered the blockade of the Bishkek-Osh Highway along with 500 armed protesters, and having attacked police officers causing the death of one of them, Mr. Sulaimanov. On September 15, 2010, Mr. Askarov was sentenced to life imprisonment.

On February 8, 2011, the Supreme Court of Bishkek accepted new evidence in the criminal case of Azimjan Askarov and decided to suspend his trialuntil April 12. On April 7, the trial was suspended sine die. Human rights organisations are observing this important trial and fear this decision may postpone his release just as much. As of beginning of June, 2011, there were no news about the resuming of the trial.