Pillay to visit Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, 8-12 July

GENEVA (6 July 2012) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is to make her first visit to Central Asia from 8-12 July.

The UN Human Rights Chief will begin her mission to the region on 8 July in KYRGYZSTAN, where her organization set up a Regional Office in 2008. While in the capital Bishkek, she is scheduled to meet President Atambayev and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Interior, the Prosecutor-General, Ombudsman and leading members of the Supreme Court, as well as with human rights defenders and NGOs.

The High Commissioner will spend much of 10 July in the south-western city of Osh, where she set up an OHCHR Mission in the wake of the June 2010 inter-ethnic violence which shook the country and cost more than 400 lives. While in Osh, Pillay will visit communities that were badly affected by the 2010 violence and hold meetings with the Governor and Mayor.

On her return to Bishkek, the High Commissioner will hold a Press Conference on Tuesday 10 July from 17:30-18:30 at the Akipress agency in Moskovskaya Street 189.

The High Commissioner will begin her two-day visit to KAZAKHSTAN on 11 July in the country’s biggest city, Almaty, where she will meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs and civil society organizations and human rights defenders, before flying to the capital Astana. In Astana, she is scheduled to meet the Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Justice, the Chair of the Constitutional Council, Prosecutor-General, Ombudsman and other government officials.

The High Commissioner will hold a Press Conference on 12 July from 16:50-17:30 at the UN Building, Bukeykhan Str., 26, Astana.

Learn more about the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/HighCommissioner.aspx

For more information about human rights in Kyrgyzstan, go to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/ENACARegion/Pages/KGIndex.aspx

For more information about human rights in Kazakhstan, go to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/ENACARegion/Pages/KZIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan -- OHCHR Regional Office for Central Asia: + 996 312 38 82 49
In Astana, Kazakhstan -- Assel Tleof at + 7 701 21 00 500 / assel.tleof@undp.org; or Leila Duisekova at +7 701 711 16 87 / leila.duisekova@undp.org
Travelling with the High Commissioner (English only) -- Rupert Colville: +41 79 506 1088 / rcolville@ohchr.org
In Geneva -- Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9310 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org

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