Q&A: Persecuted Human Rights Campaigner Comments on Kyrgyzstans Political and Human Rights Climate
On August 28, Kyrgyzstan's President Askar Akayev formally declared his intention to seek reelection in his country's October 29 presidential election. In recent months, Akayev's government has faced criticism for repressive practices that have effectively curtailed freedom of expression and other rights. In the highest profile case, the government prosecuted former Vice President Felix Kulov, widely considered to be Akayev's main rival for the presidency, on charges related to abuse of power and fraud. [For background see the EurasiaNet Q & A archive]. On August 7, Bishkek military court judge Nurlan Ashimbekov acquitted Kulov. However, the decision has not ended criticism of the government's conduct. Attention is now focusing on the case of Ramazan Dyryldayev, the head of the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights. On July 20, police searched the KCHR office in Bishkek, seeking to arrest Dyryldayev on criminal charges. Dyryldayev, who was not in the office at the time of the search, went into hiding and eventually fled the country. He is now living in exile in Vienna, Austria, where he is trying to continue with his human rights monitoring activities. EurasiaNet spoke to Dyryldayev about his own case, and about the political and human rights climate in Kyrgyzstan. His comments are found below:
EurasiaNet: What are your living and working conditions like these days?
Dyryldayev: We are dealing with very difficult circumstances. A colleague and I are living in a dormitory in Vienna and we have a small office in the IHF (International Helsinki Federation) office. Right now there is no problem with using their [IHF] offices, but that is because many people are on vacation at the moment.
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