The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) calls on the Kyrgyz authorities to guarantee a fair trial for detained activists and bloggers, Liz Trossell, spokeswoman for the Office said, the UN press service reports.
Over 20 people were arrested in Bishkek over the weekend, according to OHCHR. Activists and bloggers were sent to pre-trial detention for two months.
They face serious criminal charges, including “organizing violent riots,” the report said.
The detainees are part of a group created to protect the Kempir-Abad reservoir, which the Kyrgyz government, according to the border delimitation agreement, is preparing to transfer to Uzbekistan. The accusations against the activists stem from the fact that they publicly expressed their concerns on this issue and demanded more transparency in the process of making government decisions.
“We call on the authorities to ensure that detainees comply with fair trial guarantees under international law, including the ability to challenge the lawfulness of an arrest,” Trossell said. “We also remind you that these people are subject to the presumption of innocence and that pre-trial detention should only be used in cases that are reasonable, truly necessary and provided by law, in accordance with international human rights norms and standards.”
The representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the authorities of Kyrgyzstan to ensure that society is informed about the decisions it makes and to involve a wide range of stakeholders in policy development.
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Oct. 27, 2022