Kyrgyzstan: repression in a pre-trial detention center in response to complaints from detainees
The State Penitentiary Service forced the prisoners who complained of harassment in the pre-trial detention center to publicly renounce their words. Human rights activists regarded the actions of the leadership of institution No. 53 of the State Penitentiary Service as nothing other than repression.
Earlier, the head of the Jalal-Abad territorial office of the National Center Alisher Ermatov and the involved experts from the Jalal-Abad human rights organization “Spravedlivost” visited pre-trial detention center No. 53 in Jalal-Abad on August 30. During the visit, five women complained about the conditions of detention. According to them, the employee humiliated them, used physical force, and forced them to perform difficult exercises.
According to one of the women, the employee harassed her and touched her intimate parts. And according to another prisoner, she was forced to undress in front of the male escorts when she wanted to take a shower.
Also, violations were revealed in the medical unit of the institution and the kitchen.
The results of the visit were published in the media, and the leadership of the State Penitentiary Service did not like this since the publications caused a public outcry.
According to human rights activists, in response to the publications, the State Service for the Execution of Punishments began repressions against women held in pre-trial detention centers, who filed complaints addressed to representatives of the National Center for the Prevention of Torture.
For persuasiveness, the State Penitentiary Service involved the media. In particular, TV Region and ElTR. On television, the women refused their complaints and began to slander the head of the Jalal-Abad territorial office of the National Center, Alisher Ermatov, accusing him of spreading false information, that there was no harassment acts against them. Also, they stated that very good conditions have been created in the pre-trial detention center, and they are fed even better than at home.
“The National Center is the same state body as the State Penitentiary Service. Moreover, the National Center is an independent state body, not controlled by any branch of government. It carries out an important mission entrusted to the state. Any decision taken on the above issue outside the interests of preventing torture will be perceived as an obstruction of the activities of the National Center and brought to the attention of the international community through an appeal to the UN special procedures, ”reminds human rights organization “Spravedlivost”.
