"The only thing I can do is speak out"

“I could be detained just for giving this interview to you. They could plant a bullet in my car, take me in for questioning, put a plastic bag over my head, and I would sign anything. I could be given a life sentence and there is only Spravedlivost to help me, and their lawyers are beaten up in court.” – Victim of discrimination, name withheld

Guljan Kudratova*

“I had just one possession, my market stall, but a powerful man used forged documents to take it. I protested, and that’s when the campaign of abuse started. He used his influence with the police to initiate criminal proceedings against me. The police fabricated a whole case, with photographs and affidavits. I was framed.

“This is not about Kyrgyz people. I have lots of Kyrgyz friends. The problem is with the authorities. When the authorities discriminate against you, you feel helpless. They have a lot of power. The police can just detain you, and there is nothing you can do.

“When you find yourself in such a situation, you can’t think. You are completely in the dark and have no idea what to do. Spravedlivost gives you a map to find your way.

“In Kyrgyzstan we have good laws; they just need to be implemented. Some people don’t feel that they need to obey the law. But I have trust in the law and in the courts. The only way I can protect myself is through the law. This is my only hope.”

Rustam Islamov*

“I was accused of a murder related to the June 2010 events and taken to the regional police department. I had a police letter declaring that I had not been involved, but they didn’t care. They refused to let me call my relatives or inform them that I had been detained. To aggravate my situation, the head of the detention facility told the criminal gang that maintains discipline inside that I had killed a Kyrgyz person and raped men.

“Without Spravedlivost, I would probably still be there. Spravedlivost also encouraged me to file a complaint with the prosecutor.

“Even though the head of the temporary detention centre had warned me that if I complained, he would plant drugs on me and frame me, I did it because I was innocent and because I can’t see any other way to change the situation. As soon as my complaint was filed, men started intimidating me. I went into hiding with my whole family.

The next day, I couldn’t stop crying. A friend told me about Spravedlivost, and they helped me get my money back. If it were not for Spravedlivost, I wouldn’t have known what to do. I was desperate.

Nargiz Khamidova*

“I used to have lots of Kyrgyz friends, but after 2010, everything changed. It isn’t safe for Uzbeks anymore. The police ruined my life just because I am Uzbek. It is impossible to lead a decent life here. If I had the skills, I would leave for Russia, but this is impossible. I feel trapped. The only thing I can do is speak out about the situation.”

Nargiz Khamidova*

“After this interview, I am going to the Russian embassy to finalize my application to emigrate. The situation has become impossible here, and I want to give my children a decent life. It’s not that everyone is bad or that the country is bad, but there are some very bad individuals. I am very sad to leave; Kyrgyzstan is my homeland.

“I used to have a canteen at the market, but I cannot make ends meet due to discrimination and extortion.

“Recently, I got into an altercation with a Kyrgyz woman at the market. She reported me to the police, saying I had broken her laptop. The police took me to the police station and told me I had to pay $1,000 compensation. The Kyrgyz woman was shouting discrimination, but the police did nothing. I didn’t even bother to argue and said I would bring the money the following day, but the police insisted I had to pay before they would release me.

“The next day, I couldn’t stop crying. A friend told me about Spravedlivost, and they helped me get my money back. If it were not for Spravedlivost, I wouldn’t have known what to do. I was desperate.”

Alisher Akhmedov

“I resigned as vice-mayor in August 2010 because the situation had become impossible. No one said it to my face, but it was obvious that everyone would be happier if I left.

“At first it was small things. Visitors to our office would ask, ‘what is an Uzbek still doing here?’ Someone broke the sign on my door and when I had a new one made, that one was broken as well. Groups of Kyrgyz women started coming to my office, shouting words of ethnic discrimination against Uzbeks.

“Then it got more serious. The Red Cross asked me to show them the most vulnerable people so they could distribute aid. I took them to where the houses had been burned, the places of real destruction. These were predominately Uzbek areas. An article was published on the Internet claiming that I had personally distributed 20 trucks of flour to Uzbeks. I didn’t even know the aid consisted of flour until I read the article. The Red Cross decides the amount and type of aid and how it is distributed.

When you find yourself in such a situation, you can’t think. You are completely in the dark and have no idea what to do. Spravedlivost gives you a map to find your way.

Guljan Kudratova

“My colleagues said I was biased and asked why so many Uzbeks were on the aid list. After I resigned, the lists were changed. All the aid went to Kyrgyz people. The government rebuilt apartments and gave them to Kyrgyz.

“In the period following the 2010 events, minorities couldn’t go about their normal business. The police were randomly arresting people. Many innocent people were sentenced to prison terms. Discrimination is an everyday occurrence now. It’s not just Uzbeks, but it usually concerns Uzbeks. You can see it in the city administration: it is totally Kyrgyz. There are no Russians, Tatars, Uzbeks or other minorities. We have no voice and our children have no future here. What can we do? We can only speak out and support organizations like Spravedlivost.”

*Please note that names of the interviewees in this story have been changed to protect their  identities