KYRGYZSTAN: Strengthening the fight against torture and impunity in Kyrgyzstan: Prevention, Accountability, Remedy and Reparation

The project is a response to the call of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment and Punishment (UNSRT) to assist Kyrgyzstan with technical expertise in its fight against torture and ill-treatment, and requests made by Kyrgyz civil society organisations for more support from international torture prevention experts. The Government of Kyrgyzstan has in recent years reaffirmed its commitment to bring the justice and law enforcement systems up to international standards in respect of the provisions of the international human rights regime, and to eradicate torture in the country. Torture and ill-treatment remains, however, a widespread phenomenon in Kyrgyzstan, as also observed by the UNSRT Juan Méndez during his visits to the country in 2011 and 2012.

Against this background, the project provides technical expert assistance to the Kyrgyz State authorities and Kyrgyz civil society in the ongoing reform efforts with the overall objective of strengthening the fight against torture and impunity in Kyrgyzstan. The project uses the momentum created by the consideration of the situation in the Kyrgyz Republic before international human rights bodies and strategically incorporates and follows-up the recommendations resulting from these discussions in ongoing project activities. The project supports legal and institutional reforms in order to increase the accountability of perpetrators of torture and to enhance effective investigations into torture allegations. The project also provides technical and capacity building support to the newly established National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) and NGOs of the Coalition against Torture, and aims at increasing awareness of international standards of remedy and reparation. Two sub-grants were awarded to Kyrgyz NGOs who support victims of torture.

Country: Kyrgyz Republic
Persons involved: Andrea Schuechner, Tiphanie Crittin
Lead Organisation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights
Partner organisation: Tian Shan Policy Centre (TSPC) of the American University of Central Asia (AUCA)
Project start: 02/2014
Project end: 09/2015
Funded by: European Commission (EIDHR)
Programme Line LBI-GMR: Rule of Law and Public Sector Reform