The Norwegian Helsinki Committee’s (NHC) office in Bishkek have learnt today that they face charges for “illegal activity in a non-registered NGO”. In addition two distinguished Kyrgyz human rights defenders, Tolekan Ismailova and Aziza Abdirasulova, face charges for obstruction of justice after having protested during the raid against the Norwegian Helsinki Committee on 9 June. (4-JULY-08) 
 

This article has been written by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and edited for publication here by HRHF / Ralph Pluimert

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee considers these claims, together with the extreme difficulties we have faced in registering the representative office, exclusively politically motivated, and a new step from Kyrgyz authorities in hampering the work for increased respect for democracy and human rights in the country. In a letter addressed to the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee has called on the Norwegian Government to involve bilaterally and through international bodies to strongly protest against the harassment. Although NHC has been supported by the OSCE office in Bishkek, but has not been backed by the OSCE head office.

Fear for expulsion
The claims against the NHC staff and the local NGOs state that the Norwegian Helsinki Committee has admitted that its staff knowingly had broken Kyrgyz laws by working without permission from the Ministry of Justice. This, however, is not correct; NHC has consequently followed the Kyrgyz’ authorities rules and procedures. NHC fears that the charges will be used to expel NHC’s staff members Kyrgyzstan.

Click here to read the letter to the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs (in Norwegian only)

Click here to read the press release on OSCE’s visit to Kyrgyzstan


Previous articles on this case:
The Norwegian Helsinki Committee in Kyrgyzstan raided
Kyrgyzstan: Questioned for six hours at the Ministry of Interior