Kyrgyzstan: Human rights defender Tolekan Ismailova interrogated by police and threatened with criminal investigation

The Observatory has been informed about the interrogation of Ms Tolekan Ismailova, human rights defender and Director of the Kyrgyz human rights organisation Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan with two other human right defenders, Bermet Borukeeva and Bulat Satarkulov.

On 13 March 2026, police officers took Ms Tolekan Ismailova, Ms Bermet Borukeeva and Mr Bulat Satarkulov to the Main Department of Internal Affairs of Bishkek for questioning in relation to publications posted on Ms. Ismailova’s personal Facebook account concerning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

According to police authorities, on 12 March 2026, during monitoring of online resources, officers from the department for combating extremism and illegal migration identified a social media account belonging to Ms. Ismailova containing posts on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine interpreted by the authorities as expressing support for Ukraine. However, the investigator’s questions did not only concern the content of the Facebook posts, but also the organization Bir Duino – Kyrgyzstan and its funding. The investigator asked whether her posts containing expressions of support for Ukraine reflected Ms Ismailova’s personal views or this is the position of the organisation Bir Duino, which she heads. The investigator also inquired whether she had received any remuneration for these publications and whether she was aware that such posts could “provoke public resonance and contentious discussions among users.” Ms Ismailova replied that she only expresses her personal views on her page and reaffirmed her anti-war stance, emphasising that she is the daughter of a World War II veteran.

After questioning, which lasted approximately six hours in total, the human rights defenders were released from the police station without charges being brought against them. However, police officers informed Ms Ismailova that the texts of her Facebook posts would be sent for expert examination to determine whether they violate Article 330 of the Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan (incitement of racial, ethnic, national, religious, or interregional hatred, punishable by up to seven years of imprisonment).

The questioning took place on the same day that Ms Ismailova and other activists had planned to organise a peaceful action titled “Freedom for Peaceful Assemblies of Citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic” near the Pervomaisky District Administration building in Bishkek. It seems that the Facebook posts were used as a pretext to intimidate, prevent and detain these individuals of undertaking that planned peaceful assembly.. The action aimed to raise concerns about restrictions on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including existing limitations on demonstrations in Bishkek, which have been repeatedly extended for years.The Observatory views these measures, particularly the summoning activists for questioning immediately ahead of planned peaceful assemblies, as forms of pressure that create a chilling effect and may amount to interference with the right to peaceful protest or even intimidation.

The Observatory further expresses concern that the questioning of Ms Ismailova, particularly in relation to her personal social media posts, constitutes judicial harassment aimed at restricting her right to freedom of expression and intimidating a prominent human rights defender.

The Observatory recalls that Kyrgyzstan, as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to freedom of expression (Article 19) and the right to peaceful assembly (Article 21), must ensure that there are no restrictions or obstacles to these freedoms.

The Observatory calls on the authorities of Kyrgyzstan to guarantee that Ms Ismailova and all human rights defenders in the country are able to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of intimidation or judicial harassment.