Distorted justice [electronic resource] : Kyrgyzstan's flawed investigations and trials of the June 2010 violence / [Ole Solvang].

Title from PDF title screen (viewed on June 11, 2011).

"June 2011."--Table of contents page.

"This report was researched and written by Ole Solvang, emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch."--P. 46.

Includes bibliographical references.

Summary -- Recommendations -- To the Government of Kyrgyzstan -- To the General Prosecutor's Office -- To the Ministry of Internal Affairs -- To the Kyrgyz Parliament -- To Kyrgyzstan's International Partners -- Methodology -- I. Background -- June 2010 Inter-Ethnic Clashes in the South -- Violence Strikes -- II. Kyrgyzstan's Obligations and Record on Torture and Ill-Treatment -- Kyrgyzstan's International Obligations -- Domestic Law and its Shortcomings -- Kyrgyzstan's Record -- III. Arbitrary Arrests, Ill-treatment, and Torture -- Immediately After June Events -- Continued Use of Torture -- Denial of Due Process Guarantees -- Enforced Disappearances and Incommunicado Detention -- Denial of Adequate Legal Representation -- IV. Impunity for Torture and Ill-Treatment -- Inadequate Preliminary Inquiries -- Pressuring Victims to Withdraw Complaints -- Failure to Act on Information and Allegations of Torture -- Use of Statements Extracted under Torture -- Confessions Given Undue Weight -- V. Violations during Trials -- Attacks on Participants in Trials -- Role of the Authorities -- Impact on Fair Trial Rights -- VI. Unequal Access to Justice -- Acknowledgments -- Appendix 1: Selected Cases -- Appendix 2: Attacks during Trial -- Appendix 3: Correspondence between Human Rights Watch and the Government of Kyrgyzstan.

During four days in June 2010, ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz clashed in the southern Kyrgyz provinces of Osh and Jalal-Abad, killing more than 400 and destroying close to 2,000 houses. Horrific crimes were committed against people of both ethnicities. This report, based on more than 40 interviews with defendants, lawyers, and representatives of the authorities, as well as examinations of investigative and court documents, examines the authorities' administration of justice following the violence. Kyrgyz courts have sentenced many people to lengthy prison terms for alleged crimes committed during the violence. But the investigations and trials have been marred by threats, violence, and serious violations such as arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention, torture, and ill-treatment. Prosecutors have largely ignored or dismissed allegations and evidence of these violations, and courts have relied heavily on statements extracted under torture to convict defendants. These violations mainly affected ethnic Uzbeks, even though the Uzbek minority constituted the majority of victims from the violence, sustaining most of the casualties and destroyed homes. The profoundly flawed investigations and trials undermine efforts to promote reconciliation and fuel tensions that could lead to renewed violence. Distorted Justice calls on the Kyrgyz authorities to immediately enact a zero-tolerance policy for human rights violations during detention, and promptly and objectively investigate all allegations of torture, ill-treatment, and other violations of detainees' rights. The Kyrgyz government should also initiate a formal review process of all cases connected to the violence in the south, and conduct new investigations and trials in all cases in which there have been serious violations.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader.