On the occasion of the birthday of human rights activist Azimzhan Askarov.
Май 13.2022Human rights defender Azimzhan Askarov would turn 71 on 17 May, 2022. For the birthday of A. Askarov, on behalf of the Board of the Human Rights Movement "Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan", a mission will be sent to Uzbekistan to honor his memory, visit his grave and meet with the family of the prisoner of conscience.
At the meeting with the wife, children and grandchildren of the human rights defender, on behalf of Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan and partners, Aida Baijumanova, Executive Director and lawyer Bakyt Avtandil will express their support to the family and provide information about the ongoing work on the investigation of the death of the human rights defender in the Penal Colony No. 47, protection of the property rights of the widow Khadicha Askarova and advocacy tools used together with solidarity networks and partnerships.
Our organization, together with the solidarity and partnership network, has been fighting since June 2010 for the release and protection of the rights of the illegally detained well-known human rights defender, prisoner of conscience Azimzhan Askarov. For 11 years, human rights defenders and lawyers have participated in more than 49 trials in his case.[1] Unfortunately, on 25 July, 2020 Azimzhan Askarov died in colony No. 47 without access to timely and high-quality medical care, he did not live to see justice and freedom.[2]
On 19 May 2022, the HRM “Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan” appealed to the President of the KR, Mr. S. Japarov as the guarantor of the Constitution of the KR, requesting him to promote the restoration of justice, conducting an independent investigation of Askarov's death in Penal Colony No. 47, as well as implementation of the Views of the UN Human Rights Committee by Kyrgyzstan, rehabilitate the name of the human rights defender and prisoner of conscience, pay a compensation to his family. [3]
Bir Duino - Kyrgyzstan welcomes the decisions and steps of the authorized bodies to provide the right of inheritance of A. Askarov's house to his wife Khadicha Askarova, hopes for a fair decision of the state bodies on the family's ownership of the land plot, where the office of the human rights defender was located before the arson and robbery in June 2010.
With restoration of justice in the case of human rights defender Azimzhan Askarov, the new government of Kyrgyzstan begins the fight against impunity in the case of the tragic events of 2010, bringing to justice the true guilty officials and politicians who allowed the tragedy to happen and participated in the conflict.
The HRM "Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan", as a member of FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), which unites 200 organizations from all over the world, expects that the new authorities of Kyrgyzstan, within the framework of their international obligations, will fulfill the Views of the UN Human Rights Committee on Askarov's case.
The restoration of the human rights defender’s rights, and payment of a compensation will create a basis for preventing conflicts in the future, as well as unfair decisions, and give hope to thousands of other victims who have been unjustly convicted and imprisoned.
We stand together for Human Rights and Freedoms in the KR!
Should you have any questions, please, contact Aida Baijumanova at the HRM "Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan" at: birduinokyrgyzstan@gmail.com, aidabaikg@gmail.com, 0550184095