Interview with Kyrgyz Human Rights Defender Tolekan Ismailova

WLP Program Associate, Siobhan Hayes, spoke with WLP's partner in Kyrgyzstan, Tolekan Ismailova, Director of Human Rights Center/Citizens against Corruption (CAC) regarding the current human rights situation in her country.

What is the current human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan?

Ismailova: The human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan has been deteriorating since 2007. The State Committee on National Security has been systematically harassing and detaining those who do not agree with their policies. They have targeted women human rights defenders and independent journalists. Women human rights defenders have faced threats and persecution because of their activities, which include demanding gold mining companies make their activities transparent and providing for the ecological security of the communities close to the mines.

Freedom of speech and ethnic minority rights are also in danger. The young journalist Alisher Saipov was murdered, and another journalist Jyparkul Arykova, who used to work for the Parliament's Press Service, has been in detention since June 2007 on espionage charges for allegedly "transferring secret information to foreign countries."

In addition, human rights defenders have been persecuted for demanding constitutional reform and participating in peaceful demonstrations against unfair parliamentary elections.

How has civil society, in particular women's rights activists, acted to ensure the protection of human rights of Kyrgyz citizens?

Ismailova: Civil society has acted in various ways to defend human rights. In some cases, human rights activists carry out individual work, in other situations, if there is a need for broad support, coalitions and campaigns are formed. Women's rights activists united when officials and some members of parliament attempted to legalize polygamy and ban abortion.

In order to reach a broader audience, CAC began organizing documentary film screenings in March 2007 to be followed by discussions. This is the first time our country has promoted civic education and human rights through film advocacy. Now we are planning to continue this initiative involving people from villages in Kyrgyzstan.

In December 2007, you and other young activists were arrested for protesting irregularities in the recent elections. What are the new developments of the case?

Ismailova: Mass arrests of participants of the "I don’t believe" campaign on December 18 and 20, following the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, has served as another example of the government's disrespect for fundamental rights and basic freedoms. About 36 people, including 4 women human rights defenders – Aygul Kyzalakova, Nazgul Turdubekova, Toktaim Umetalieva, and myself – have faced arrests, administrative detention, and fines. We were protesting against the unfair conduct of parliamentary elections held on December 16, 2007. We were targeted due to the anti-constitutional decree by the Bishkek City Council, which stated that citizens can no longer hold peaceful assemblies.

The campaign, whose members have been carrying out election monitoring, are now going through court proceedings to get the courts to recognize the city council’s decree as illegal.