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HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CONCLUDES VISIT TO KYRGYZSTAN
25 April 2007
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Bishkek, 25 April 2007: The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, today concluded a two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, as a part of her visit to Central Asia.
In Bishkek, the High Commissioner met with the President of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ednan Karabayev, the Chairperson of the Supreme Court, Kurmanbek Osmonov, the First Deputy Prosecutor General, Kurmantai Abdiev and the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Murat Sultanov. She also met with representatives of regional and international governmental organizations, civil society groups and locally based diplomatic corps.
The High Commissioner was pleased to receive assurances from the President as to the speedy conclusion of an agreement for the establishment of OHCHR’s regional office in Bishkek. The Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed his intention to have the agreement finalized by mid-May.
The High Commissioner was also pleased to note the positive direction taken by Kyrgyzstan in developing a strong civil society. She noted the importance of further improving human rights in the country, in particular with respect to the independence of the judiciary, gender equality and preservation of the democratic space.
The High Commissioner raised concerns about the low level of participation of women in public life, the incidence of domestic violence in the country and abductions of women for forced marriage, or bride kidnapping. She said that these were serious issues which the government had an obligation to address.
She regretted that incidents of ill-treatment and torture of detainees were still reported in the country. She welcomed the expected introduction of judicial review of detention according to amendments to the Criminal Code and hoped that this would be the first of a series of measures taken by the government to reduce torture. She suggests that the Government ratifies the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and issue an invitation to the Special Rapporteur on Torture as a means of assisting the government in assessing the problem and finding solutions to it.
She hoped that the government would give priority to resolving these issues and offered all the assistance her Office could provide in this regard.
The High Commissioner will go on to visit Tajikistan (25-29 April), Kazakhstan (30 April-2 May) and Turkmenistan (3-5 May). The High Commissioner’s visit to Central Asia is a part of an effort to increase her Office’s engagement in the region.
In Bishkek, the High Commissioner met with the President of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ednan Karabayev, the Chairperson of the Supreme Court, Kurmanbek Osmonov, the First Deputy Prosecutor General, Kurmantai Abdiev and the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Murat Sultanov. She also met with representatives of regional and international governmental organizations, civil society groups and locally based diplomatic corps.
The High Commissioner was pleased to receive assurances from the President as to the speedy conclusion of an agreement for the establishment of OHCHR’s regional office in Bishkek. The Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed his intention to have the agreement finalized by mid-May.
The High Commissioner was also pleased to note the positive direction taken by Kyrgyzstan in developing a strong civil society. She noted the importance of further improving human rights in the country, in particular with respect to the independence of the judiciary, gender equality and preservation of the democratic space.
The High Commissioner raised concerns about the low level of participation of women in public life, the incidence of domestic violence in the country and abductions of women for forced marriage, or bride kidnapping. She said that these were serious issues which the government had an obligation to address.
She regretted that incidents of ill-treatment and torture of detainees were still reported in the country. She welcomed the expected introduction of judicial review of detention according to amendments to the Criminal Code and hoped that this would be the first of a series of measures taken by the government to reduce torture. She suggests that the Government ratifies the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and issue an invitation to the Special Rapporteur on Torture as a means of assisting the government in assessing the problem and finding solutions to it.
She hoped that the government would give priority to resolving these issues and offered all the assistance her Office could provide in this regard.
The High Commissioner will go on to visit Tajikistan (25-29 April), Kazakhstan (30 April-2 May) and Turkmenistan (3-5 May). The High Commissioner’s visit to Central Asia is a part of an effort to increase her Office’s engagement in the region.