Kyrgyz Government Should Request International Support

Human Rights Watch: Kyrgyzstan’s interim government should immediately initiate a thorough and impartial investigation into the violence in the country on April 6 through 8, 2010.

Both security forces and demonstrators contributed to escalating the conflict, which left at least 85 people dead and hundreds wounded. The findings are based on interviews with more than 30 victims and witnesses and review of photo and video material. Demonstrators also contributed to the escalation of the situation, however. Some demonstrators armed themselves with weapons that they took from the police. Demonstrators physically attacked police officers, leaving several hundred officers injured.

Human Rights Watch shared with the interim government its preliminary findings and provided recommendationsto ensure that the investigation would be in accordance with international standards.

“This is the most serious incident of political violence in Kyrgyzstan since its independence,” said Andrea Berg, from Human Rights Watch. “Victims have a right to see justice done.”