Source: https://www.omct.org/human-rights-defenders/urgent-interventions/kyrgyzstan/2019/11/d25612/
Timestamp: 2020-03-29 15:04:11
Document Index: 469438879

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', '§ 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', '§ 1', '§1', '§2', '§3', 'art 1']

Kyrgyzstan: Decision to order the partial confiscation of the house of Mr. Azimjan Askarov / November 20, 2019 / Urgent Interventions / Human rights defenders / OMCT
Human rights defenders / Urgent Interventions / Kyrgyzstan / 2019 / November
According to the information received, on September 6, 2019, the Bazar-Korgon District Court refused to satisfy a claim of the authorities to seize the property of Mr. Askarov. The authorities appealed this decision and the hearing has been held on November 20, 2019 before the Jalal-Abad Regional Court. The Court overturned the Bazar-Korgon District Court's decision and ordered the partial confiscation of Mr. Askarov's property in the amount of 125,000 KGS (1,620 EUR), corresponding to the “moral damage compensation” awarded to the wife of the killed policeman, given that his mother recently died and the 50,000 KGS (647 EUR) originally awarded to her on the same ground can therefore no longer be claimed.
The Observatory recalls that on March 11, 2019, Ms. Khadicha Askarova, Mr. Azimjan Askarov's wife, received a notice from the Oktyabrsky District Department of Service of Court Bailiffs in Bishkek, dated February 28, 2019, stating that the house that she is currently living in would be seized. The decision was issued in connection with the “moral damage compensation” of 175,000 KGS (around 2,230 EUR), awarded by the Jalal-Abad Regional Court to the family of the policeman allegedly killed by Mr. Azimjan Askarov (see background information) as follows : 125,000 KGS (1,620 EUR) to the wife of the killed policeman and 50,000 KGS (647 EUR) to his mother. The wife of the killed policeman demanded the property seizure.
This is already the second attempt to confiscate Mr. Askarov’s property. Previously, on September 15, 2010, the Bazar-Korgon District Court had ordered the confiscation of Mr. Azimjan Askarov’s property as part of a life sentence handed down against him which was upheld by the Chuy Regional Court on January 24, 2017 [1] . However, the Penal Enforcement Code of Kyrgyzstan (Annex to the Section VII, Chapter 22) prohibits the confiscation of the main residence of a convicted person or that of their family members. Mr. Azimjan Askarov’s house, where his wife lives, is their only residence and therefore, according to Kyrgyz law, cannot be subject to confiscation, nor to seizure[2].
Since 2010, the Prosecutor's Office of Bazar-Korgon District has conducted several visits in view of the confiscation of Mr. Azimjan Askarov's house.
On May 25, 2016, shortly after the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee (HRC) requested Kyrgyzstan to release Mr. Azimjan Askarov, the court bailiffs and representatives of the State Property Fund of Kyrgyzstan (SPFK) paid a visit at Mr. Azimjan Askarov’s house and took photos of the property. The SPFK explained to Mr. Askarov's wife that they were implementing a decision adopted by the SPFK itself on April 27, 2016 to execute the confiscation order of the Bazar-Korgon District Court. Subsequently, Mr. Askarov's lawyer filed a lawsuit before the Inter-district Court of Bishkek requesting it to declare the above-mentioned SPFK decision unlawful. Before the case was brought to trial, on September 26, 2016, the SPFK annulled its decision.
On August 16, 2017, the Bazar Korgon District Court of Jalal Abad Oblast considered another lawsuit filed by Mr. Azimjan Askarov requesting the court to prevent the family’s main and only residence from being seized[3] . On September 5, 2017, following an appeal, the Bazar Korgon District Court lifted the order to seize the property due to a “mistake in the confiscation procedures”[4] .
In March 2016, the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) found that Mr. Azimjan Askarov was arbitrarily detained, held in inhumane conditions, tortured and otherwise ill-treated without redress, and was not given a fair trial. The Opinion noted that Kyrgyzstan “violated the author’s rights under article 14 (3) (e) of the Covenant [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights].” The UNHRC urged Kyrgyzstan to immediately release Mr. Azimjan Askarov [5] . In an April 2016 statement, the European Union (EU) called on Kyrgyzstan to “fully implement” the Committee’s Opinion[6].
However, on January 24, 2017, the Chuy Regional Court of Kyrgyzstan confirmed the life sentence against Mr. Azimjan Askarov following a retrial marked by bias and procedural irregularities, including court refusal to hear some defence witnesses, inaction towards threats and violent behaviour of the deceased police officer's wife, restrictions to access to the courtroom, failure to investigate credible allegations of torture, and inaction towards acts of pressure and intimidation targeting defence witnesses and lawyers.
On July 30, 2019, the Chuy Regional Court of Kyrgyzstan was to review the conviction of Mr. Askarov following the mitigation of several provisions of the new Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan. In 2017, Mr. Askarov had been found guilty of violating, inter alia, Article 30–340 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic (“complicity in murder of law-enforcement officer”) which carried life imprisonment as the maximum sentence, but this provision was removed from the new Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan, and, according to Mr. Askarov’s lawyer, Mr. Valerian Vakhitov, the defender has already served the term in respect to the other charges brought against him[8] .
During this hearing, Mr. Vakhitov pleaded in favour of Mr. Askarov’s release pursuant to the provisions of the new Criminal Code, and stressed the deterioration of Mr. Askarov’s health. However, the state Prosecutor alleged that the cases of convicts sentenced to life imprisonment shall not be subject to revision. The Court followed the state Prosecutor's position and upheld the sentence, stating that under the article on which Mr. Askarov was convicted, the new Criminal Code also provides for life imprisonment.
Furthermore, on the eve of the retrial, on July 29, 2019, a doctor who assessed Mr. Askarov’s health condition concluded that he needs a comprehensive examination and treatment. During the doctor’s visit Mr. Askarov reported "dull aches in the heart area [...], shortness of breath when walking [...], pain and heaviness in the right hypochondrium, nausea, pain in the joints, especially knees; abdominal pain, frequent urination [...], headaches, dizziness and weakness" (the Observatory holds a copy of the report in Russian). His health has severely d eteriorated as he has been held in appalling conditions [9] . According to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known also as “the Nelson Mandela Rules”, persons with health conditions, “for whom staying in prison would mean an exacerbation of their condition, shall not be detained in prisons”.
iii. Provide Mr. Azimjan Askarov with adequate compensation in accordance with the decision of the UNHRC ;
vi. Ensure Mr. Askarov's rights to due process and to a fair trial including by ensuring that the recent changes in the Criminal Code are duly respected thus allowing for a revision of his case;
Mr. Michaël Roux, French Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Embassy's coordinator Guzel , Email : guzel.ishenova@diplomatie.gouv.fr
[1] See the Observatory Press Release on January 24, 2010.
[8] The decision of Bazar-Korgon District Court (Judge Mr. N. Alimkulov) dated September 15, 2010 sentenced Mr. Azimjan Askarov to 9 years of imprisonment under Articles 28, 30, 227 Part 2 § 1, 3 of the Criminal Code (hostage taking); to 1 year of imprisonment under Article 241 Part 1 (illegal possession of firearms); to 5 years of imprisonment with deprivation of the right to occupy certain positions or engage in certain activities under Article 299, Part 2 § 1 (inciting hatred); to 9 years of imprisonment under Article 233§1, to 4 years of imprisonment under Article 233§2 and 3 years of imprisonment under Article 233§3 (organisation of riots); and to life imprisonment under Article 30-340 (complicity in the murder of a law enforcement officer). He was acquitted for lack of corpus delicti under Article 299-2 part 1 of the Criminal Code (for more details see an ICJ legal opinion on Mr. Askarov's retrial: https://www.icj.org/kyrgyz-republic-icj-legal-opinion-on-askarov-retrial-concludes-his-conviction-should-be-quashed/).
[9] According to his lawyers, “Askarov has lost weight, he is coughing all the time. He has a dry cough, and at times, he is unable to catch his breath. A r. Askarov complained that his legs a ere very cold, and nothing helps – not socks, shoes, or heating. He has stopped drinking fluids to lessen the number of times he must use the toilet.”
Urgent Interventions / July 31, 2019