Askarov V the Kyrgyz Republic
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Askarov v the Kyrgyz Republic Communication to the United Nations Human Rights Committee November 2012 2 Communication to the United Nations Human Rights Committee In the case of Azimjan Askarov against the Kyrgyz Republic submitted for consideration under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to The United Nations Human Rights Committee c/o Petitions Team Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations Office at Geneva 1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland 3 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. THE AUTHOR ......................................................................................................................................... 7 II. LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AUTHOR ........................................................................... 7 III. STATE PARTY...................................................................................................................................... 7 IV. SUMMARY OF THE CLAIM .............................................................................................................. 7 SUMMARY OF THE FACTS .......................................................................................................................... 8 SUMMARY OF DOMESTIC REMEDIES EXHAUSTED ...................................................................................10 VIOLATIONS OF THE ICCPR ...................................................................................................................10 V. FACTS OF THE CLAIM ......................................................................................................................11 BACKGROUND: AZIMJAN ASKAROV .......................................................................................................11 VIOLENT EVENTS OF 10-14 JUNE 2010 IN SOUTHERN KYRGYZSTAN .....................................................13 VIOLENCE AND KILLING OF POLICE OFFICER IN BAZAR-KORGON VILLAGE (13 JUNE 2010) .............14 DETENTION, TORTURE AND INTERROGATION OF MR. ASKAROV ..........................................................15 Detention and Beating of Mr. Askarov (15 June 2010) .......................................................................15 Interrogation and further torture of Mr. Askarov (16-17 June 2010) ..................................................17 Court order on detention of Mr. Askarov (17 June 2010) and illegal searches ...................................19 Medical examination and declaration of guilt (17 June 2010) ............................................................21 CONTINUED DETENTION AND ATTACKS ON LAWYER ..............................................................................21 First meeting with Mr. Askarov (20 June 2010) ..................................................................................22 First attack on Mr. Toktakunov and Ms. Japarova (23 June 2010) .....................................................24 Second meeting with Mr. Askarov (23 June 2010) ...............................................................................26 Appeal on Pre-Trial Detention (24 June 2010) ...................................................................................26 Vulnerable state of Mr. Askarov and conditions at Bazar-Korgon police station ...............................27 Attack on relatives of Mr. Askarov .......................................................................................................29 Third meeting with Mr. Askarov and second attack on lawyer (2 August 2010) .................................29 PROSECUTION AND FURTHER TORTURE OF MR. ASKAROV...................................................................30 First day of District Court Trial (2 September 2010) ..........................................................................31 Torture of Mr. Askarov at the Nooken Police Station (2 September 2010)..........................................33 Resumption of Trial (6 September 2010) .............................................................................................34 Request for Medical Examination (6 September 2010)........................................................................37 Conclusion of Trial (8 September) and Verdict of District Court (15 September 2010) .....................37 Appeal and further ill-treatment of Mr. Askarov (October-November 2010) ......................................38 Supreme Court appeal (November 2010 – December 2011) ...............................................................42 Civil judgment against Mr. Askarov ....................................................................................................45 REQUESTS TO INVESTIGATE TORTURE ....................................................................................................46 First complaints on torture to Bazar Korgon and Jalal-Abad Prosecutors (22 and 23 June 2010) ....46 Appeal of the prosecutor’s decision to the District Court (14 July 2010) ...........................................46 Second complaint on torture to Prosecutor General’s Office (20 December 2010) ............................47 Appeal regarding failure to investigate torture (15 March 2011) .......................................................47 MEDICAL EVIDENCE ................................................................................................................................48 Initial Examinations .............................................................................................................................48 Independent Reviews ............................................................................................................................49 Lack of treatment .................................................................................................................................51 INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OF VIOLATIONS ................................................................................52 PERSECUTION OF ETHNIC UZBEKS IN JUNE 2010 AND PATTERN OF TORTURE AND IMPUNITY ............54 Discriminatory prosecutions ................................................................................................................56 Arbitrary Detention and Fair Trial Violations in post-June 2010 proceedings ...................................56 Pattern of Torture in Kyrgyzstan .........................................................................................................58 Failure to Prevent Torture and Poor Detention Conditions ................................................................59 Failure to Investigate Torture and Lack of Judicial Independence .....................................................60 VI. ADMISSIBILITY..................................................................................................................................62 5 A. JURISDICTION ......................................................................................................................................62 B. NO OTHER INTERNATIONAL COMPLAINT............................................................................................62 C. EXHAUSTION OF DOMESTIC REMEDIES...............................................................................................62 Torture Claims Exhausted ...................................................................................................................63 Detention and Fair Trial Claims Exhausted ........................................................................................64 Other remedies are ineffective or unavailable in this case ..................................................................64 VII. VIOLATIONS OF THE ICCPR ........................................................................................................65 A. TORTURE OF MR ASKAROV ................................................................................................................66 The Treatment of Mr. Askarov Amounts to Torture .............................................................................66 There is Ample Evidence to Make a Finding of Torture ......................................................................67 Detention Conditions and Failure to Treat Injuries ............................................................................69 B. LACK OF SAFEGUARDS AGAINST TORTURE ........................................................................................69 1. Failure to Transfer Mr. Askarov from Police Custody ....................................................................70 2. Failure to Provide Independent Medical Examination ....................................................................71 3. Failure to Protect from Reprisals and to Provide Complaints Mechanism .....................................72 4. Additional Violations of Safeguards: Prompt Registration and Access to Counsel ........................74 C. FAILURE TO CONDUCT AN EFFECTIVE INVESTIGATION ....................................................................74 D. FAILURE TO PROVIDE REDRESS .........................................................................................................77 E. UNLAWFUL AND ARBITRARY DETENTION ..........................................................................................79 1. The Detention was Unlawful as it Violated Kyrgyz Law ..................................................................79 2. The Detention was Arbitrary as it was not for a Proper Purpose ....................................................81 F. INHUMANE