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The
Observatory has been informed about the interrogation of Ms Tolekan
Ismailova,
human rights defender and Director of the Kyrgyz human rights
organisation Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan with two other human right
defenders, Bermet
Borukeeva
and Bulat
Satarkulov.
On
13 March 2026, police officers took Ms Tolekan Ismailova, Ms Bermet
Borukeeva and Mr Bulat Satarkulov to the Main Department of Internal
Affairs of Bishkek for questioning
in
relation to publications posted on Ms. Ismailova’s personal
Facebook account concerning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
According
to police authorities, on 12 March 2026, during monitoring of online
resources, officers from the department for combating extremism and
illegal migration identified a social media account belonging to Ms.
Ismailova containing posts on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
interpreted by the authorities as expressing support for Ukraine.
However, the investigator’s questions did not only concern the
content of the Facebook posts, but also the organization Bir Duino –
Kyrgyzstan and its funding.
The
investigator asked whether her posts containing expressions of
support for Ukraine reflected Ms Ismailova’s personal views or this
is the position of the organisation Bir Duino, which she heads. The
investigator also inquired whether she had received any remuneration
for these publications and whether she was aware that such posts
could “provoke public resonance and contentious discussions among
users.” Ms Ismailova replied that she only expresses her personal
views on her page and reaffirmed her anti-war stance, emphasising
that she is the daughter of a World War II veteran.
After
questioning, which lasted approximately six hours in total, the human
rights defenders were released from the police station without
charges being brought against them. However, police officers informed
Ms Ismailova that the texts of her Facebook posts would be sent for
expert examination to determine whether they violate Article 330 of
the Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan (incitement of racial, ethnic,
national, religious, or interregional hatred, punishable by up to
seven years of imprisonment).
The
questioning took place on the same day that Ms Ismailova and other
activists had planned to organise a peaceful action titled “Freedom
for Peaceful Assemblies of Citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic” near
the Pervomaisky District Administration building in Bishkek. It seems
that the Facebook posts were used as a pretext to intimidate, prevent
and detain these individuals of undertaking that planned peaceful
assembly.. The action aimed to raise concerns about restrictions on
the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including existing
limitations on demonstrations in Bishkek, which have been repeatedly
extended for years.The Observatory views these measures, particularly
the summoning activists for questioning immediately ahead of planned
peaceful assemblies, as forms of pressure that create a chilling
effect and may amount to interference with the right to peaceful
protest or even intimidation.
The
Observatory further expresses concern that the questioning of Ms
Ismailova, particularly in relation to her personal social media
posts, constitutes judicial harassment aimed at restricting her right
to freedom of expression and intimidating a prominent human rights
defender.
The Observatory recalls that Kyrgyzstan,
as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to freedom of expression
(Article 19) and the right to peaceful assembly (Article 21), must
ensure that there are no restrictions or obstacles to these freedoms.
The
Observatory calls on the authorities of Kyrgyzstan to guarantee that
Ms Ismailova and all human rights defenders in the country are able
to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of intimidation
or judicial harassment.
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