Lawyer Samat Matsakov has been taken into custody until December 30. The decision was made by the judge of the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek Miran Shermatov, who granted the investigator’s petition.
More than 40 lawyers came to the court yesterday, November 29, to support their colleague. The international human rights organization Freedom for Eurasia made a statement in connection with the lawyer’s detention.
«We are deeply concerned about the detention of lawyer Samat Matsakov by the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of Kyrgyzstan. This incident is a continuation of the practice of intimidating lawyers representing the interests of individuals prosecuted on politically motivated charges. And it poses a significant threat to the right of citizens to protection and the independence of legal profession in Kyrgyzstan,» the statement says.
Samat Matsakov defended the interests of the akyn (poet) Askat Zhetigen, whom the court found guilty of public calls for violent seizure of power and sentenced to three years in prison. He was the lawyer of Temirov Live journalists Aktilek Kaparov and Akyl Orozbekov, the founder of the construction company KG Group Imamidin Tashov.
A lawyer cannot be subjected to a personal search or personal inspection while performing professional duties. According to the Law «On Advocacy», a criminal case against a lawyer in connection with his or her professional activities can be initiated, and the arrest can be sanctioned only by the Prosecutor General or his deputy.
In addition, entry into the home or work premises of a lawyer, into the transport used by him, conducting an inspection, search, seizure, personal search of the lawyer, seizure of his property, inspection and seizure of his postal and telegraph correspondence, wiretapping of his telephone and other conversations, bringing in, detention and arrest may be carried out by order of the prosecutor or by a court ruling only.
