Statement by the Spokesperson on Azimjon Askarov

On 21 April the UN Human Rights Committee published an opinion on the complaint submitted by Mr Azimjon Askarov, the human rights defender imprisoned in the Kyrgyz Republic since 2010. It concluded that Mr Askarov's human rights were violated under a number of articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In light of this, the European Union expects the Kyrgyz Republic to fully implement the recommendations of the Human Rights Committee.