For Immediate Release
Vienna, Austria
Freedom For Eurasia is gravely concerned by the Chairman of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan Kamchibek Tashiev’s recent public speech at a meeting with higher education officials, in which he openly admitted to the summary execution of Kamchibek Kolbayev. Tashiev’s statement constitutes a confession to premeditated murder. This shocking admission underscores a blatant disregard for the rule of law and fundamental human rights.
The right to life is foundational to all other human rights. Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions—the deliberate killing of individuals without legal process—violate this fundamental right.
It is outrageous for a state official to claim responsibility for an extrajudicial killing, framing it as an act of service to the state. The death penalty is prohibited under Kyrgyz law. Even the courts, the highest body in the justice system of the country are not empowered to issue a death sentence. Tashiev single-handedly and outside the law decided to take a human life.
Kamchybek Kolbaev – member of Eurasian criminal network, was killed on October 4, 2023 by law enforcers during a special operation. At the time the State Committee claimed that Kolbayev “showed armed resistance with the use of firearms” during the special operation and was killed by return fire.
Kolbayev’s murder marked the beginning of a series of large-scale arrests by the GKNB of individuals accused by the authorities of having links to criminal organizations. Some of the arrests led to the corporate raiding and asset strippingby persons close to the authorities.
The crime to which Tashiev publicly confessed corresponds to Article 338 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Code “Abuse of power”, with aggravating circumstances, such as 1) with the use of weapons or special means; 2) with the use of physical violence or threat thereof; stipulated criminal acts committed by an official in a position of power are punishable by imprisonment for a term of five to seven years with confiscation of property, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities. The act described by Tashiev is a premeditated murder and also meet the requirements of Article 122 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Code “Murder with particular cruelty committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy” which is punishable by imprisonment for a term of twelve to fifteen years with or without confiscation of property, or life imprisonment with or without confiscation of property.
Acts committed by Tashiev also carry signs of crimes against humanity. His actions throughout the past three years were committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population or civilians, expressed in murder, unlawful imprisonment of one or more persons or otherwise severe deprivation of one or more persons of physical liberty, torture, persecution of a group of persons on political grounds.
When the state combats crime through criminal means, it creates a dangerous precedent, eroding justice, fostering impunity, and ultimately weakening the social order. In essence, the state transforms itself into a criminal enterprise. Tashiev’s actions represent a profound abuse of power and a gross violation of Kolbayev’s right to a free, fair, and open trial. By circumventing the judicial process and resorting to murder, Tashiev has denied a person his fundamental rights and betrayed the very principles his office is sworn to uphold.
Freedom For Eurasia calls upon the internation community to demand that Kyrgyz authorities conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the murder of Kamchibek Kolbayev, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable under domestic and international human rights and criminal law standards. We also urge the international community to apply pressure on Kyrgyzstan to ensure that justice prevails in this case and to take measures to prevent such heinous acts from being repeated in the future. Furthermore, we call on democratic states to enforce targeted sanctions against Kamchibek Tashiev for his admitted crime of summary execution and human rights abuses.
For more information about this statement, please, send your enquiries to freedomeurasia@protonmail.com
