New court verdict on Res Publica

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 97 14:42:49 -0500
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Subject: New court verdict on Res Publica

From:   MINELRES moderator       \ Internet:    ([email protected])

Original sender: Natalia Ablova  \ Internet:    ([email protected])

new court verdict on Res Publica

Dear colleagues,

Today, on 10 June 1997, Municipal Court of Bishkek has turned down the
decision by the Pervomaisky District Court of 23 May concerning four
journalists of Res Publica weekly.According to the new verdict, Marina
Sivasheva and Bektash Shamshiev  were acquitted,Aleksandr Alyantchikov was
given the same 18 months but this time of the suspended term. Zamira
Sydykova's custody in a prison was substituted by the 18 month term in a
colony with a more lenient regime.

The Court confirmed the ban on journalist activities for Alyantchikov and
Sydykova.

Judge Dzhakyp Abdyrakhmanov said after the trial that Zamira Sydykova is to
be released from the detention centre within one week but he refused to give
any details on the regime conditions for Sydykova.

Today  another  detained journalist of Res Publica,Yrysbek Omurzakov, was
released on parole by the decision of the Bishkek Municipal Court. The
decision has created the precedent in  legal procedures: persons under
criminal investigation once detained could only be released on parole or on
bail by an
interrogator or a procurator  but never by a judge though this power is
given to the judiciary by the Constitution.

Huge public response in and outside the country contributed a lot to the new
legal approach to the case.But Zamira Sydykova being still in custody, the
problem of fair trial remains unsolved.

The Bureau thanks all those who sent their statements and petitions.We still
need your support and solidarity to secure press rights in Kyrgyzstan.

Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law

Bishkek,10 June 1997                  

please find below our new e-mail address: [email protected]

Regular mail address (new):
40 Manas ave., Room 77,
Bishkek 
720001 Kyrgyzstan
Phone (3312) 211874
Fax (3312) 223924
Bureau on HR and Rule of Law
--
============================================================================
  MINELRES -  a forum for discussion on minorities in Central & Eastern
Europe

Submissions: [email protected]  Subscription/inquiries: minelres@mailbox.
riga.lv 
============================================================================