OSCE Centre supports free legal consultation for residents in border areas in southern Kyrgyzstan

A series of legal consultations were held between 6 and 14 July 2011 in the border districts of the Osh and Jalal-Abad Provinces with support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek, the Osh and Jalal-Abad Provincial Administrations, Kyrgyzstan’s Border Guard Troops and the non-governmental organizations Fergana Valley Lawyers without Borders and International House of Lawyers organized mobile legal clinics to raise local residents' awareness about the legal aspects of their cross-border activities.

More than 100 residents of the Aravan and Kara-Suu Districts in the Osh Province and the Suzak District in the Jalal-Abad Province received free legal consultation from lawyers. The lawyers also provided consultations to government officials working in border areas, such as representatives of the Kyrgyzstan’s Border Guard Troops, District Police, Migration Service, Prosecutor’s Office and others. The International House of Layers plans to provide consultations for residents in other Jalal-Abad Province districts.

Lilian Darii, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said: “The consultations help residents in border areas to engage in trade, social and cultural exchanges across the border in accordance with the current legal framework. The consultations also will be used to identify gaps in the legislation and propose recommendations to improve it.”

The consultations formed part of the OSCE Centre's work to promote security in the border areas of the Osh and Jalal-Abad Provinces.