Defendants in the so-called Kempir-Abad case, who are in custody in the Bishkek pretrial detention center 1, said at a hearing in the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek that they were going on a hunger strike in protest.
Former Prosecutor General Azimbek Beknazarov said that the suspects were not given the opportunity to get acquainted with the materials of the case. Ravshan Dzheenbekov and activist Marat Bayazov earlier reported about it.
The detainees stated that they were going on hunger strike in protest, since the prosecutor’s office and investigators were grossly violating their rights.
The hearing was postponed until September 5.
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.
