The country’s chief human rights defender called on law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the incident, as well as to ensure the protection of the rights of the children left without a mother and to provide them with the necessary social assistance.
According to information provided by local law enforcement, the girl's pregnancy was confirmed at a local hospital. On the evening of February 25, the mother and her daughter were taken to the police station; however, the woman refused to be interrogated and left the station to buy water. During the interrogation, a staff member from the Ak-Suu District Department for the Protection of Family and Children was present instead of her.
Later, while at the parking lot of the department, the woman committed self-immolation and, having sustained burns, died in the hospital.
Photo from the ombudsman's press service
Immediately after receiving information about the tragedy, the authorized representative of the akyikatchi in the Issyk-Kul region began gathering data about the incident and working on protecting the rights of the children left without parental care, in cooperation with local authorities.
On February 26, staff from the human rights institute visited the children in a family living in the Ak-Suu district. The eldest child, a girl, studies at a vocational school; she has two younger sisters aged 15 and 6, as well as a 14-year-old brother.
The family was registered as low-income, and since 2018, the mother had been receiving child benefits. Local authorities reported that last year, with the help of charitable organizations, a house was built for the family, and the village council also provided financial assistance, as the woman was raising the children alone amid a divorce.
Currently, custody of the children has been entrusted to their aunt, and the issue of official custody will soon be resolved. The pregnant girl also remains under the protection of relatives.
The police continue to conduct checks in connection with the testimonies obtained during the investigation.
