OSCE supports training on human rights of military personnel and torture prevention in Kyrgyzstan’s army
The OSCE Centre in Bishkek supported a training course from 9-13 June 2014 on torture prevention and international and national standards regarding the rights and freedoms of military personnel.
The training, which was led by experts from Tajikistan-based NGO Amparo, brought together representatives from the Ombudsman’s Office, the National Centre on Torture Prevention, the Ministry of Defence, the Interior Troops of the Ministry of Interior, the State Border Service, the State Penitentiary Service, the Military Prosecutor’s Office and NGOs. Participants discussed and elaborated a methodology that could be used by torture prevention monitoring groups during their visits to military facilities.
The OSCE Centre has been supporting local NGO Kylym Shamy along with the Ombudsman’s office and the National Torture Prevention Centre to conduct monitoring visits to military facilities in Kyrgyzstan.
According to the Military Prosecutor, 50 deaths among members of military staff have been registered from 2010 to 2013, including 26 suicides. The Military Prosecutor launched 15 criminal proceedings, and 16 military officers were sentenced. Since the beginning of this year at least three deaths among military staff have been reported.
“Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, including armed forces personnel, is a part of the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security and peace-building,” said John MacGregor, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “We support the Kyrgyz Republic in its commitments to the OSCE Code of Conduct on the Politico-Military Aspect of Security that ensures military, paramilitary, and security-service personnel enjoy and exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Aziza Abdyrasulova, the Head of Kylym-Shamy NGO, said: “Before the monitoring visits start, there is a need to train monitors. The trained monitoring group is expected to start the visits in the second half of 2014; we foresee in total around 150 visits to military facilities across Kyrgyzstan this year.”
The course was organized in co-operation with Kylym Shamy, the Ombudsman’s office and the National Centre on Torture Prevention.