The Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek considered a petition from an investigator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to extend the detention period for activist Rita Karasartova, who was detained in Kempir-Abad case.
The defendant’s lawyer asked to release the activist from custody.
Having considered the petition of the employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the court remanded Rita Karasartova in custody. She will be kept in the remand center 1 in Bishkek until June 20.
Rita Karasartova stated that she did not agree with this decision. «Everyone wants freedom. We say that it is our constitutional right to express our opinion, to give information about Kempir-Abad,» she said.
The activist noted that she was remanded in custody possibly because she speaks a lot.
The Committee for protection of Kempir-Abad reservoir was created on October 22. It includes activists, politicians and MPs. On the same day, in an interview with Kabar news agency, President Sadyr Japarov said: the authorities have information who was behind the rallies and marches on Kempir-Abad issue.
Mass arrests began on October 23. Authorities placed 27 people in jail on charges of preparing for riots.
A number of international human rights organizations such as the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC), the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR), Freedom Now and others issued a statement calling for the immediate release of politicians and activists arrested in Kyrgyzstan.
