Organisations within the Human Rights House Network have signed letters to the Ministries of Justice and the Interior in Kyrgyzstan expressing concern about the trial today against Ivar Dale, right, the Bishkek based Central Asia representative of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC). Dale is accused of working for a non-registered organisation, which according to Kyrgyzstani law is illegal. Read the letters to the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior. (05-SEP-08)

This article has been written and prepared for publication here by HRHF / Ralph Pluimert and Niels Jacob Harbitz.

NHC believes that the trial is a case of bureaucratic harassment, with a political motive. NHC has established a fund in support of Uzbeki human rights defenders, and believes that Uzbeki authorities have been in contact with their Kyrgyzstani countterparts to halt NHC´s activities in the region. A related case has also been raised against Tolekan Ismailova and Aziza Abdirasulova, two prominent Kyrgyzstani human rights defenders who both supported the NHC when the organisation´s office in Bishkek was raided 9 June this year. The letters sent to the Ministries of Justice and the Interior express the Human Rights House Network´s concern for Ismailova and Abdirasulova as well. 

In total, 24 organisations have signed the letter:

The Human Rights House in Moscow
(consisting of)
Human Rights Network Group
Independent Psychiatric Association of the Russian Federation
Moscow Center for Prison Reform
Moscow Helsinki Group
Mother’s Rights Foundation
Organization “Right to Life and Human Dignity”
Regional Organization “Non-violence International”
Regional Organization “Right of Child”
Social Partnership Foundation
Union of the Soldiers´ Mothers Committees of the Russian Federation

The Human Rights House in Warsawa
(consisting of)
Helsinki Committee in Poland
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights   
Young Journalists POLIS                                             
Viridarium Group                                                         
The Association Initiative 33     

The Human Rights House in Sarajevo
(consisting of)
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Foundation CURE
Youth Groups of West Balkan
Women and society center
Serb Civil Council
Renaissance

The Norwegian Burma Committee
The Rafto Foundation (Norway)
Human Rights House Foundaton