On August 28, Kyrgyzstan’s President Askar Akayev formally declared his intention to seek reelection in his country’s October 29 presidential election. In recent months, Akayev’s government has faced criticism for repressive practices that have effectively curtailed freedom of expression and other rights. In the highest profile case, the government prosecuted former Vice President Felix Kulov, widely considered to be Akayev’s main rival for the presidency, on charges related to abuse of power and fraud. [For background see the EurasiaNet Q & A archive]. On August 7, Bishkek military court judge Nurlan Ashimbekov acquitted Kulov. However, the decision has not ended criticism of the government’s conduct. Attention is now focusing on the case of Ramazan Dyryldayev, the head of the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights. On July 20, police searched the KCHR office in Bishkek, seeking to arrest Dyryldayev on criminal charges. Dyryldayev, who was not in the office at the time of the search, went into hiding and eventually fled the country. He is now living in exile in Vienna, Austria, where he is trying to continue with his human rights monitoring activities. EurasiaNet spoke to Dyryldayev about his own case, and about the political and human rights climate in Kyrgyzstan. His comments are found below:

EurasiaNet: What are your living and working conditions like these days?

Dyryldayev: We are dealing with very difficult circumstances. A colleague and I are living in a dormitory in Vienna and we have a small office in the IHF (International Helsinki Federation) office. Right now there is no problem with using their [IHF] offices, but that is because many people are on vacation at the moment. … We are now looking for more permanent quarters, and we are looking for the means to operate. It is very difficult for us to work. It is more difficult for us, of course, to gather information when we are in Vienna, than when we were in Bishkek. It is up to those who read our reports to render the final judgement on our service. … It is very tough for an adult to be living in a dormitory – it is a dormitory for seminary students – a very austere place.

EurasiaNet: How do you gather information now?

Dyryldayev: We have a regional network that still manages to function. Our people manage to send me information. Second, we have various sources that support our efforts, and they also provide information. I receive information by fax, e-mail and telephone and other sources. … Over the course of five years of our work we have managed to form a solid network, with links to all parts of Kyrgyzstan.

EurasiaNet: Do you think you will be able to return to Kyrgyzstan any time soon?

Dyryldayev: We’d like to return. But if we are to return, we’d like some sort of guarantee [against government prosecution]. We so far have not gotten any indication that we would have such assurances. We want to be sure that we won’t be arrested as soon as we return. … I feel that, in any case, I’ll probably be in Vienna until at least October 29 [when Kyrgyzstan holds presidential elections]. After that we will have to see what the situation is like. People are fairly certain that Akayev will remain in power. … For the time being, we are obliged to seek support, both in Kyrgyzstan and abroad, so that we might be able to go about our work in peace.

EurasiaNet: What implications does the acquittal of Felix Kulov have for the October 29 presidential election and the human rights climate?

Dyryldayev: …. The Kulov decision can be described as a patriotic ruling. There was no hard evidence to support the specific charges against him. It was purely for political motives that he was put on trial. Now the court itself that issued the decision is coming under pressure. … It’s not accidental that in the aftermath of the decision to free Kulov, the head of the Supreme Court was forced out of office [For additional information see EurasiaNet’s Daily Digest] … We should be paying attention to this fact. What has happened is clearly a violation of judicial independence. This provides an indication of the government’s attitude.

EurasiaNet: How do you expect the election campaign to be conducted?

Dyryldayev: Many people suspect that the government will engage in falsifying the results, and as a result, Mr. Akayev will win, and his corrupt administration will continue in power. They [incumbents] of course want to defend the system that they have built in recent years. … The fact that 17 people have declared their candidacy for the presidential election can be seen as a popular protest … The government is already pressuring the various candidates, according to information that we have gathered.

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Posted August 28, 2000 © Eurasianet
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