International human rights organizations call on to investigate gross violations of human rights during the armed conflict at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border in Batken region.
Human rights defenders are concerned about reports of use of indiscriminate force against civilians and objects. There is evidence of use of machine guns, mortars and aircraft missiles by the military.
They call for involvement of international experts in the investigation.
«Our organizations remind that the use of explosive weapons with a wide area effect in large and small settlements, due to their indiscriminateness, exposes civilians to enormous danger and is prohibited by international humanitarian law (IHL). IHL also prohibits attacks directed against civilians or objects. Our organizations are fully convinced that the attacks on civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure in the border areas between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are unjustified and constitute a flagrant violation of IHL and international human rights law. Our organizations call on the parties to the armed conflict to develop an action plan to ensure equal access of citizens of both countries to water and land resources, which is a fundamental prerequisite for implementation of human rights, as well as resolving the issue of demarcation of state borders, and also to conduct an investigation that will allow to establish those responsible for civilian casualties, destruction of civilian objects and other violations of IHL,» the human rights activists say.
They also address the international community with the following calls:
- Taking into account the consent of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to take part in negotiations between the parties to the conflict in order to de-escalate tensions;
- To provide humanitarian assistance to local population in risk areas to prevent further civilian casualties;
- To launch the OSCE Moscow Mechanism and / or international UN and EU mechanisms to investigate violations of international civil and human rights at the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in May 2021, which resulted in casualties, including the death of a 12-year-old girl;
- To urge Kyrgyzstan to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
List of organizations that signed the statement:
Anti-Discrimination Center Memorial — Belgium,
Kylym Shamy Public Foundation — Kyrgyzstan,
Civil Society Institute — CSI — Armenia,
Asociația Promo-LEX — Moldova,
Adilet Legal Clinic — Kyrgyzstan,
Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan human rights movement,
Hromadyanski Freedom Center — Ukraine,
ILI Foundation — Kazakhstan,
Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law,
SPb Civil Control NGO — Russia,
Human Rights Center (HRC) — Georgia,
Viasna Human Rights Center — Belarus.
At least 189 Kyrgyzstanis sought medical help, 36 people died, including children as a result of the border conflict. More than 40,000 people have been evacuated from the conflict zone. The Tajik side unofficially reported more than 150 wounded and about 16 dead.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that 120 houses and 84 social facilities had been destroyed in Kyrgyz border villages, including two schools, a village first-aid station, a kindergarten, a police station, four checkpoints, a medical center, a dental center, two pharmacies, a fire station, 27 gas filling stations, 34 retail outlets, five canteens and three banquet halls. Border outposts were also damaged. According to the Tajik side, more than 10 houses have been destroyed by fire in Khoja Alo border village.
The Prosecutor General’s Office of Kyrgyzstan assessed the actions of Tajikistan as military invasion and started pre-trial proceedings under the article «Crime against peace» of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic.
