In its appeal, the platform urges the country's president to organize an immediate, objective, and independent investigation into the facts concerning inmates who have faced pressure or ill-treatment for expressing their opinions and for cooperating with oversight bodies.
Additionally, the platform has addressed the ombudsman of Kyrgyzstan with several requests:
- to conduct an unscheduled monitoring visit to institution No. 27, and if necessary, to other places of detention;
- to hold confidential conversations with Askhat Zhetigen and other inmates without the presence of the administration;
- to document the conditions of detention and any signs of violence or pressure;
- to prepare a public report with recommendations for government bodies.
The full text of the appeal is available in the attached document.
It is important to note that the ombudsman’s office confirmed the receipt of complaints from Askhat Zhetigen, who is serving his sentence in institution No. 27. In his letter, Zhetigen mentioned that on March 2, the head of the operational department of the colony, named Ulan, placed him in a punishment isolation cell, threatening him with "harsh conditions" and accusing him of agitating inmates. The poet considers these accusations to be "absolute falsehood" and claims that he has never supported criminal elements.
He believes that his placement in the punishment isolation cell is revenge for informing the ombudsman’s representatives about violations in the institution. According to him, during a conversation with the inspectors, there was a verbal altercation between him and a colony staff member when the latter tried to prevent the disclosure. The GSIN denied the accusations, stating that the information about violations and the infringement of the inmate's rights is not true.
On March 4, it became known that Askhat Zhetigen was released from the punishment isolation cell.
