Photo courtesy of ombudsman.kg
Representatives from the Kyrgyz Ombudsman’s Office, headed by Jamila Jamanbayeva, visited Bishkek’s Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 and confirmed reports of inmates being beaten by guards and over 20 detainees engaging in a dry hunger strike. The findings were published on the Ombudsman’s official website.
The monitoring visit took place on December 23, during which human rights advocates spoke with numerous detainees.
Over 20 inmates began a hunger strike on December 20 to protest the use of force against them and to demand unrestricted access to their legal counsel.
Two inmates formally complained to the Ombudsman, alleging that they were beaten by officers of the State Penitentiary Service (SPS). According to the detainees, they were kicked and struck with batons. The visiting team documented visible bruises and swelling on their bodies. The victims, reportedly affiliated with the criminal underworld, have received medical attention.
Starting December 21, the detention center administration implemented a new schedule restricting attorney visits, designating Saturdays and Sundays as non-visitation days. The Ombudsman’s Office reminded authorities that, under Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Procedure Code, detainees have the right to unrestricted, confidential meetings with their attorneys, regardless of time or day.
The Ombudsman’s Office has submitted a request to the General Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the legality of the detention center’s new visitation schedule. Additionally, evidence regarding the use of physical force by SPS officers has been forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review. Jamila Jamanbayeva has personally taken the case under her supervision.
On December 20, some media outlets reported that special forces raided cells in Bishkek Detention Center No. 1, conducting searches accompanied by alleged beatings of inmates. Reports of a hunger strike soon followed. However, the SPS dismissed these claims as false, asserting that all penitentiary institutions were operating normally.
