{"id":35018,"date":"2024-11-28T15:31:32","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T12:31:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adcmemorial.org\/?p=35018"},"modified":"2024-11-29T18:48:20","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T15:48:20","slug":"adc-memorial-and-bir-duino-kyrgyzstan-have-prepared-a-report-on-violations-of-the-rights-of-kyrgyz-migrants-in-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adcmemorial.org\/en\/news\/adc-memorial-and-bir-duino-kyrgyzstan-have-prepared-a-report-on-violations-of-the-rights-of-kyrgyz-migrants-in-russia\/","title":{"rendered":"ADC Memorial and Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan have prepared a report on violations of the rights of Kyrgyz migrants in Russia"},"content":{"rendered":"

ADC<\/span> Memorial<\/span> and<\/span> Bir<\/span> Duino<\/span>–<\/span>Kyrgyzstan<\/span> report was created<\/span> on the<\/span> eve<\/span> of the UN<\/span> Universal<\/span> Periodic<\/span> Review<\/span>,<\/span> which<\/span> Kyrgyzstan<\/span> will proceed<\/span>\u00a0in<\/span> 2025<\/span>.<\/span> Human rights defenders <\/span>draw<\/span> attention<\/span> to the<\/span> insufficient<\/span> state<\/span> efforts<\/span> of Kyrgyzstan<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> its citizens<\/span> abroad<\/span> and<\/span> to<\/span> create<\/span> conditions<\/span> for<\/span> effective employment<\/span> at<\/span> home<\/span>.<\/span> The report<\/span> was<\/span> presented<\/span> on November<\/span> 27<\/span>, 2024<\/span> in<\/span> Almaty<\/span> at<\/span> the Regional<\/span> Expert<\/span> Seminar<\/span> of representatives<\/span> of civil society <\/span>organizations<\/span> of Central<\/span> Asia<\/span> on<\/span> the preparation<\/span> of key<\/span> recommendations<\/span> for<\/span> the upcoming<\/span> OSCE<\/span> Ministerial<\/span> Conference<\/span> in<\/span> Malta<\/span>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Overcoming<\/span> the dependence<\/span> of Kyrgyzstan’s<\/span>\u00a0economy<\/span> on<\/span> external<\/span> labor<\/span> migration<\/span> was<\/span> one<\/span> of<\/span> the election<\/span> promises<\/span> of the current<\/span> government<\/span>,<\/span> but<\/span> so<\/span> far<\/span> hundreds<\/span> of thousands<\/span> of Kyrgyzstanis<\/span> go<\/span> abroad<\/span> to<\/span> earn<\/span> money,<\/span> mainly<\/span> to<\/span> Russia<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Russia<\/span>‘s migration<\/span> policy<\/span> is<\/span> invariably<\/span> escalating<\/span> and harsh<\/span>,<\/span> which<\/span> is<\/span> in<\/span> contradiction<\/span> with<\/span> the real<\/span> need<\/span> and<\/span> interest<\/span> of the Russian<\/span> public<\/span> and<\/span> private<\/span> sector<\/span> in<\/span> migrant<\/span> labor<\/span>.<\/span> In<\/span> this<\/span> regard<\/span>, Kyrgyzstan<\/span> does not<\/span> persist<\/span> in<\/span> generally<\/span> improving<\/span> migration<\/span> rules<\/span> for<\/span> its<\/span> citizens<\/span>,<\/span> preferring<\/span> to seek<\/span> only<\/span> small<\/span> privileges<\/span> and<\/span> temporary<\/span> measures<\/span> (<\/span>such<\/span> as<\/span>,<\/span> for example<\/span>,<\/span> amnesty<\/span> for those<\/span> migrants<\/span> who<\/span> have been<\/span> blacklisted<\/span> and<\/span> cannot<\/span> enter<\/span> Russia<\/span> for<\/span> this<\/span> reason<\/span>,<\/span> or<\/span> \u00a0creation<\/span> of “<\/span>separate<\/span> corridors<\/span>“<\/span> in<\/span> migration<\/span> centers<\/span>)<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the<\/span> background<\/span> of the war<\/span> against<\/span> Ukraine<\/span>,\u00a0 in<\/span> recent<\/span> years <\/span>the migration<\/span> legislation<\/span> and<\/span> practices<\/span> of the Russian Federation<\/span> have undergone<\/span> another<\/span> round<\/span> of tightening<\/span>.<\/span> In<\/span> 2024<\/span>, Russia<\/span> legislatively<\/span> introduced<\/span> a special<\/span> regime<\/span> for the expulsion<\/span> of migrant<\/span> violators<\/span>,<\/span> which significantly<\/span> restricts<\/span> their<\/span> rights<\/span>.<\/span> In the<\/span> first<\/span> half<\/span> of 2024<\/span>,<\/span> the<\/span> courts<\/span> decided<\/span> to expel<\/span> about<\/span> 86<\/span> thousand<\/span> foreigners<\/span> from<\/span> Russia<\/span>, 124<\/span> thousand<\/span> administrative<\/span> cases<\/span> of<\/span> violation<\/span> of migration<\/span> rules<\/span> were submitted to the courts \u2013<\/span> which<\/span> is close<\/span> to<\/span> the data<\/span> for<\/span> the whole<\/span> of 2022<\/span> (<\/span>data<\/span> from the Judicial<\/span> Department<\/span> at<\/span> the Supreme<\/span> Court<\/span> of the Russian Federation<\/span>,<\/span> “<\/span>Important<\/span> <\/a>Storie<\/a>s<\/span>“<\/span>,<\/span> October<\/span> 21<\/span>, 2024<\/span>)<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0The Russian<\/span> authorities<\/span>,<\/span> often<\/span> represented<\/span> by the most<\/span> senior<\/span> officials<\/span>,<\/span> condone<\/span> manifestations<\/span> of racism<\/span> and<\/span> support<\/span> xenophobes<\/span>.<\/span> Law enforcement<\/span> agencies<\/span> that regularly<\/span> conduct<\/span> anti-migrant<\/span> raids<\/span> are willing<\/span> to attract<\/span> activists<\/span> of nationalist<\/span> movements<\/span> to them,<\/span> delegating<\/span> to them<\/span> the right<\/span> to<\/span> violence<\/span>.<\/span> Migrant<\/span> children<\/span> become<\/span> hostages<\/span> in<\/span> a situation<\/span> where<\/span> anti-migrant<\/span> sentiments<\/span> are articulated<\/span> by both<\/span> the<\/span> authorities<\/span> and<\/span> nationalist<\/span> activists<\/span> on<\/span> the ground<\/span> and<\/span> result<\/span> in<\/span> open<\/span> violence<\/span>,<\/span> hate<\/span> speech<\/span>,<\/span> and harassment<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

These<\/span> recent<\/span> trends<\/span> have<\/span> also<\/span> not<\/span> caused<\/span> a proper<\/span> reaction<\/span> from the Kyrgyzstan<\/span> authorities<\/span>,<\/span> who<\/span> limit<\/span> themselves to periodic<\/span> punctual<\/span> statements<\/span> that<\/span> the preferences<\/span> of migrants<\/span> from<\/span> Kyrgyzstan<\/span> related<\/span> to<\/span> the country<\/span>‘s membership<\/span> in<\/span> the Eurasian<\/span> Economic<\/span> Union<\/span> (<\/span>EAEU<\/span>)<\/span> should<\/span> be maintained<\/span> (<\/span>for example<\/span>,<\/span> the speech<\/span> of the head<\/span> of the Cabinet<\/span> of Ministers<\/span> Akylbek<\/span> Dzhaparov<\/span> at<\/span> a meeting<\/span> of the Eurasian<\/span> Intergovernmental<\/span> Council<\/span> (<\/span>Yerevan<\/span>,<\/span> October<\/span> 2024<\/span>)<\/span>.<\/span> A very<\/span> reasonable<\/span> recommendation<\/span><\/a> of the Ministry of Foreign<\/span> Affairs<\/span> of Kyrgyzstan not<\/span> to travel<\/span> to<\/span> Russia<\/span> without<\/span> good<\/span> reason<\/span>,<\/span> given<\/span> to Kyrgyzstan<\/span> citizens<\/span> on<\/span> September<\/span> 5<\/span>, 2024<\/span> (<\/span>against the<\/span> background<\/span> of increased<\/span> anti-migrant<\/span> sentiment<\/span> in<\/span> Russia<\/span>,<\/span> frequent<\/span> anti-migrant<\/span> raids<\/span> by law enforcement<\/span> agencies<\/span>,<\/span> xenophobic<\/span> speeches<\/span> by politicians<\/span>)<\/span> is in<\/span> fact<\/span> impossible<\/span>,<\/span> since<\/span> hundreds<\/span> of thousands<\/span> of Kyrgyzstanis<\/span> are<\/span> constantly<\/span> on<\/span> the territory<\/span> of the Russian Federation<\/span>,<\/span> unable<\/span> to<\/span> fully<\/span> earn<\/span> money at<\/span> home<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Serious <\/span>violations<\/span> of the rights<\/span> of migrant<\/span> children<\/span> are of particular<\/span> concern<\/span>.<\/span> In the<\/span> wake<\/span> of anti-migrant<\/span> sentiments<\/span>, a<\/span> bill<\/span><\/a> was<\/span> introduced<\/span> to the State Duma to<\/span> ban<\/span> the admission<\/span> of migrant<\/span> children<\/span> to<\/span> educational<\/span> organizations<\/span> without<\/span> confirming<\/span> knowledge<\/span> of the Russian<\/span> language<\/span> and<\/span> the legality<\/span> of staying<\/span> in the<\/span> territory<\/span> of Russia.<\/span> Such<\/span> initiatives<\/span> grossly<\/span> violate<\/span> not<\/span> only<\/span> the Constitution<\/span> of the Russian Federation<\/span>,<\/span> but<\/span> also<\/span> the UN<\/span> Convention<\/span> on<\/span> the Rights<\/span> of the Child<\/span>.<\/span> They<\/span> need<\/span> a<\/span> clear<\/span> and<\/span> decisive<\/span> reaction<\/span> from the Kyrgyzstan<\/span> authorities<\/span> and<\/span> must<\/span> be<\/span> stopped<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The other<\/span> risks<\/span> are also related to\u00a0Russia<\/span>‘s war<\/span> against<\/span> Ukraine<\/span>:<\/span> involvement<\/span> of migrants in<\/span> mercenary<\/span> activities under<\/span> contract<\/span> with<\/span> the Ministry of Defense<\/span> of the Russian Federation<\/span> or<\/span> private<\/span> military<\/span> companies<\/span>,<\/span> coercion<\/span> of newly naturalized citizens<\/span> to<\/span> serve<\/span> in<\/span> the Russian<\/span> army<\/span>,<\/span> potential<\/span> statelessness<\/span> (<\/span>deprivation<\/span> of Russian<\/span> citizenship<\/span> for<\/span> evading<\/span> military<\/span> service<\/span>,<\/span> desertion<\/span>,<\/span> surrender<\/span>,<\/span> “<\/span>discrediting<\/span> the army<\/span>“<\/span>)<\/span>.<\/span> According<\/span> to open<\/span> data<\/span>, it was revealed<\/span> that<\/span> at least<\/span> 51<\/span> Kyrgyzstan<\/span> natives<\/span> died<\/span> in<\/span> Ukraine<\/span>,<\/span> 25<\/span> of<\/span> them<\/span> were<\/span> Kyrgyzstan<\/span> citizens<\/span> (<\/span>Azattyk<\/span> and<\/span> Mediazona<\/span> investigation<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> October<\/span> 30<\/span>, 2024<\/span>)<\/span>.<\/span> These<\/span> data<\/span> cannot<\/span> be considered<\/span> exhaustive<\/span>,<\/span> and<\/span> the actual<\/span> death toll<\/span> may<\/span> be<\/span> much<\/span> higher<\/span>.<\/span> As far<\/span> as can<\/span> be judged<\/span> from open<\/span> sources<\/span>,<\/span> the Kyrgyz<\/span> authorities<\/span> do not<\/span> have<\/span> all<\/span> the information<\/span> about<\/span> the citizens<\/span> of the country<\/span> involved<\/span> in<\/span> the war<\/span> with<\/span> Ukraine<\/span>,<\/span> including<\/span> the<\/span> dead<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The authors<\/span> of the report<\/span> draw<\/span> attention<\/span> to the fact that<\/span> reducing<\/span> the scale<\/span> of labor<\/span> migration<\/span>,<\/span> which<\/span> is largely<\/span> feminized<\/span> in<\/span> Kyrgyzstan<\/span>,<\/span> is hindered<\/span>,<\/span> in<\/span> particular<\/span>,<\/span> by the presence<\/span> of professional<\/span> prohibitions<\/span> on<\/span> women<\/span>‘s labor<\/span> in<\/span> the legislation<\/span> of Kyrgyzstan (<\/span>the so<\/span>–called<\/span> list<\/span> of prohibited<\/span> professions<\/span>)<\/span>.<\/span> Since<\/span> 2017<\/span>, civil<\/span> society<\/span> has been advocating <\/span>for<\/span> the abolition<\/span> of such<\/span> lists<\/span> in<\/span> the region<\/span>,<\/span> human rights defenders<\/span>,<\/span> trade unions<\/span> and<\/span> government<\/span> agencies<\/span> such<\/span> as<\/span> the Ministry<\/span> of Labor<\/span>,<\/span> Social<\/span> Security and<\/span> Migration<\/span> have conducted<\/span> a constructive<\/span> dialogue<\/span> in<\/span> recent<\/span> years<\/span> and<\/span> prepared<\/span> proposals<\/span> to<\/span> improve<\/span> the situation<\/span>.<\/span> The UN<\/span> CEDAW<\/span> made<\/span> recommendations<\/span><\/a> on<\/span> the revision<\/span> of the list<\/span> of prohibited<\/span> professions<\/span> and<\/span> the amendment<\/span> of the Labor<\/span> Code<\/span> (<\/span>80th<\/span> session<\/span>,<\/span> 2021<\/span>)<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Only<\/span> in<\/span> 2024<\/span>, a<\/span> draft<\/span> of a new<\/span> Labor<\/span> Code<\/span> was<\/span> submitted<\/span> to the Jogorku<\/span> Kenesh<\/span>,<\/span> in<\/span> which<\/span> it is planned<\/span> to revise<\/span> the list<\/span> of<\/span> 446<\/span> prohibited<\/span> professions<\/span> and<\/span> leave<\/span> temporary<\/span> restrictions<\/span> only<\/span> for<\/span> pregnant<\/span> women<\/span> and<\/span> nursing<\/span> mothers<\/span>.<\/span> As of today,<\/span>\u00a0the draft<\/span> was<\/span> adopted<\/span> by the Jogorku<\/span> Kenesh<\/span> in<\/span> the first<\/span> reading<\/span> (<\/span>October<\/span> 2024<\/span>)<\/span>,<\/span> its final<\/span> version has not yet<\/span> been<\/span> presented<\/span> to the public<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The authors<\/span> of the report<\/span> address<\/span> the following<\/span> recommendations<\/span> to<\/span> the Kyrgyzstan<\/span> authorities<\/span>: \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n