Kyrgyzstan: court disapproved increase in compensation for torture victim

The City Court of Bishkek upheld the decision of Pervomaisky District Court to recover compensation in the amount of $ 588 in favor of the torture victim Ulan Nazaraliev. This was reported by the human rights organization “Spravedlivost” [“Justice”].

The court didn’t satisfy the appeal of the Ministry of Finance, which asked to cancel the payment of compensation. At the same time, the defense of the victim appealed for an increase in the amount of compensation for the victim of torture, but the court also dismissed this appeal.

Nazaraliev’s lawyers managed to achieve recognition of the fact of the use of torture only at the international level. The UN Human Rights Committee reported this in its Consideration. At the national level, torture against Nazaraliev wasn’t recognized.

“We welcome the court’s decision, which once again showed that the UN Human Rights Consideration is an effective human rights mechanism in our country. But at the same time, it should be noted that the amount of compensation doesn’t correspond to the gravity of the committed act – the use of torture,” said Sardorbek Abdukhalilov, a lawyer of the human rights organization “Spravedlivost” [“Justice”].

The representatives of Nazaraliev initially filed a lawsuit for $ 35,294. But the gross violation of human rights, recognized by the UN Committee, was estimated by the courts at only $ 588.

“The multimillion-dollar lawsuits to protect the honor and dignity of political figures immediately come to mind, which the courts don’t reduce to such a sum,” the lawyer said.

Nazaraliev became a victim of torture and abuse by police officers in 2012. While in the temporary detention center of Jalal-Abad, he was beaten, strangled and harassed by the officers of the department. In response to his cries and complaints, the policemen gave him a razor blade with the words that “he can even cut himself, and no one will help him”. The man then, out of despair, inflicted cuts on his hands.

It’s worth adding that to date, a criminal case against the policemen hasn’t been opened on the fact of torture.