On March 8, the Kyrgyz police detained women and men who participated in the annual peaceful protest against violence in Bishkek, kloop.kg reports.
On International Women’s Day, female activists gathered together in the centre of the Kyrgyz capital city. A few minutes later, they were attacked by members of Kirk Choro, a pro-government movement that castigates feminists and LGBT persons. They began battering the protesters; it should be noted that some women were in the company of their children. When policemen arrived at the scene, the attackers fled. However, the policemen did not even make any attempt to pursue them. Instead, they grabbed the women and put them into paddy wagons.
On the way to the police station, the officers reportedly put the arm on the detainees.
“The organisers of the march usually make the police aware [of the would-be event], but this time they failed, although they should have done so cost for the sake of safety. The other side [Kirk Choro] was informed of the rally in favour of LGBT people; their reaction was such as might be expected,” Kyrgyz MP Elvira Surabaldiyeva said on Twitter in a bid to justify the authorities’ actions.
In total, police detained about 70 persons who had to spend a few hours in the police station. Then they were released; no protocols were drawn upon them.
