Paris, 5 September 2002
On 4 September, a march was organized by several hundred people from Jalal-Abad to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, to ask for the identification and sanctioning of the persons responsible for the killings committed on 17 March 2002, when 6 people were killed and 40 seriously injured in the village of Asky, during a demonstration to protest against the arrest and detention of Parliamentarian Beknazarov.
According to the information received, more than 100 people were beaten yesterday, most of whom have been severely injured. Five co-ordinators of the march were arrested, in violation of the Kyrgyz Constitution that provides for the right to peaceful demonstration: Meder Usenov, Kanat Baijumaev, Mambetaly Kubatov, Daniar Asanov and Semetei Karabekov.
On 5 September, about 700 police officers from different provinces gathered in the town of Tash-Kumyr, where approximately 450 people gathered to join the march.
This march takes place in the context of political tension in Kyrgyzstan, especially exacerbated by the March killings in Asky. Many demonstrations of hundreds of people, which took place in the weeks following the Asky events were repressed. Opposition leaders, members of Parliament and human rights defenders have been under increased surveillance by Police and intelligence officers.
The demonstrators ask Askar Akaev, the President of the Republic, not to ratify the amnesty law voted by the Parliament last June. This law permits both for those responsible for the killings and for the demonstrators, which violates the Constitution and the international human rights instruments that guarantee the right to peaceful demonstration.
The FIDH calls the Kyrgyz government to immediately release the five persons arbitrarily detained; to identify, sue and sanction those responsible for the Asky killings, as soon as possible; to put an end to any kind of violence against peaceful demonstrators; to put an end to any kind of pressure against political opponents and human rights defenders; to conform with the provisions of international human rights instruments ratified by Kyrgyzstan.
The FIDH calls the international community to put pressure on the Kyrgyz government in this regard, in particular the American authorities, given the fact that President Akaev will visit the United States on 23 September 2002.