A telephone conversation took place between the Akyikatchy (Ombudsperson) of the Kyrgyz Republic, Atyr Abdrakhmatova, and the Special Representative of the European Union for Human Rights, Mr. Eamon Gilmore

A telephone conversation took place between the Akyikatchy (Ombudsperson) of the Kyrgyz Republic, Atyr Abdrakhmatova, and the Special Representative of the European Union for Human Rights, Mr. Eamon Gilmore.

The Ombudsperson A. Abdrakhmatova informed the EU Special Representative that since September 19, the staff of the Ombudsman's office, headed by Akyikatchy A. Abdrakhmatova and her deputy A. Kolopov, traveled to all the affected villages in the Batken region, interviewed more than 400 civilians, most of whom were women who were forced to flee because of the military aggression of Tajikistan.

It is known for certain that as a result of a pre-planned military aggression, inhuman and brutal mockery of the civilian population of border villages, more than 60 Kyrgyz citizens were killed, among them a fifteen-year–old girl, and among the victims - more than 20 children, about 20 women, several of them in serious condition. More than 140,000 civilians, primarily children, the elderly, women and people with disabilities, were forced to urgently leave their homes in order to save their lives. The civilians of several villages now have nowhere to return to. Some houses have been completely looted and burned, livestock stolen, harvested crops embezzled or burned.

September 16, 2022 Tajik military men cold-bloodedly opened fire on schools and kindergartens in the village of Maksat, Leilek district, during classes. Despite the demands to stop the shelling, the aggressors seized, looted and set fire to schools, kindergartens in the villages of Ak-Sai and Dostuk of the Batken region, brutally killed a school guard, as well as one man with a disability who could not escape from his house. Only an urgent escape made it possible to save the lives of our children who were in kindergartens and schools during the shelling. Now their life will never be the same, children's happiness and dreams are destroyed, the damage from military aggression inflicted on children will have a long-term effect, many children are still afraid of loud noises, sleep poorly at night, cry, and some have stopped talking.

In addition, Akyikatchy specifically noted that in the nine months of 2022, this is already the 4th situation when the civilian population is forced to leave their homes due to various armed provocations from Tajikistan. Over the past year, more than 15 armed provocative actions were recorded by Tajikistan on various sections of the Kyrgyz-Tajik state border.

The Ombudsperson recalled that on April 21, 2021, as a result of the aggression of Tajikistan in the Batken region, 36 civilians were killed, including a 12-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy. A 12-year-old girl was literally shot in front of her house, in front of her mother and younger sister.

The Ombudsperson appealed to the Special Representative with a request to strongly condemn the act of inhuman, armed aggression of Tajikistan against the peaceful civilian population of the Batken region and force Tajikistan to stop armed and other provocations against residents of border villages, give a signal to the aggressor about responsibility for all crimes against the civilian population, strengthen the activities of all human rights organizations to protect human life, rights and freedoms, which is a priority for the entire international community.