OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek commemorates International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

To commemorate the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June, the Coalition against Torture (CAT), with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, held a series of events in the cities of Bishkek and Osh.

Starting on 22 June, the CAT organized a marathon in the main square of Osh to draw public attention to victims of torture and ill-treatment as well as to support a healthy lifestyle in Kyrgyzstan.

In Bishkek, the sixth annual mini-football tournament was held with the participation of 16 teams, including teams of the Office of the National Parliament, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General's Office, the State Service for Execution of Punishment, media institutions as well as the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. Organizers and participants acknowledged the need for joint efforts in addressing torture.

A “Press Café” with a number of former victims of torture was organized in Bishkek on 25 June. They shared their stories, talked about the impact their traumatic experience had on their lives, and what mechanisms they use to deal with them today.

The CAT consists of 19 civil society organizations and representatives that have joined efforts to combat torture in all its forms in Kyrgyzstan since 2007. It monitors detention centres, provides legal expertise to victims of ill-treatment, and assists in rehabilitation processes.