1-56432-381-1 I. Introduction: Struggling for Recognition, Seekin - PDF document

October 2008 1-56432-381-1 I. Introduction: Struggling for Recognition, Seeking Safety......................................1Methodology......................................................................................................6, and Harassment..........................................................8e and Abuse............................................................................8rative” Rape............................................................................15Harassment in Public........................................................................................17ust, Ongoing Harassment....................................19IV. Background and Context..................................................................................26 Women in Kyrgyzstan...............................................26Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and the Law in Kyrgyzstan.........................29V. Legal Standards.................................................................................................33Discrimination..................................................................................................33Violence and Abuse..........................................................................................35ed Marriage...............................................................................37VI. Recommendations...........................................................................................38VII. Appendix: Terminology....................................................................................43VIII. Acknowledgements.........................................................................................45 Human Rights Watch October 2008 Lesbians, transgender men, and women street or in the home, at the hands of strangers or family members. Survivors nd silence. This report offers personal a previously invisible phenomenon. The We use “lesbian” to refer to womand whose self-identity is partly built or “bisexuals,” but nonetheless at times engage in sexual and emotional relationships with other women. their inner selves to be different from how their bodies are categorized. Understanding their experiences means how we classify bodies as male or female. Those who do the classifying use factors such as hormones, chromosomes, and sex organs. “masculinity” and “femininity.” Being “masculine,” to a society or an a sense of themselves as ma Human Rights Watch October 2008 official from the Ministry of the Interior,statement: will never have the green light here. It would happen in America, or somewhere else in the West, but not here… You will have to keep hiding in basements with all your business… You say, “We are afraid because they beat us.” For instance, just one son. And there are two guys walking holding each other’s The need for addressing prejudice is urgentbetween July 2006 and January 2007 by Labrys—a non-governmental organization women who have sex with women, and transgender men—60 percent of respondents who identified as lesbian, bisexual, or Of those who told their parents, 18 percent experienced physical violence orientation. Moreover, 23 percent, or approximately one in four of those surveyed, respond to these needs through adv Quoted in Timurkhan Djedilbayev and Anna Dovgopol, “Roundtable,” Labrys Magazine, vol. 1, February 2005. This study remains unpublished but a summary of its results is on file at Human Rights Watch. It was conducted by questionnaire amplified by structured interview. Interviews and questionnaires were administered by six different interviewers of different identities and from different ethnic groups, over the six months of the research. The figures above reflect percentages of the 94 respondents to the questionnaire. Participants in the research were largely drawn from social networks of the clients of Labrys’ services (although a high number of respondents did not regularly visit the Labrys office), almost all from Bishkek or the surrounding areas. It is possible that it underestimates the rate of violence experienced by women or transgender people in rural or outlying areas. Given the high rates of sexual assault reported by respondents, it is striking that the vast majority of respondents were below 30, raising the question of how many would experience sexual assault in the remaining course of a lifetime. Even one of the study’s authors was shocked by the high numbers of cases of sexual assault. “We [previously] knew of 5-8 cases only.” (Human Rights Watch telephone interview with Anna Kirey, January 29, 2007). Human Rights Watch October 2008 sexually inappropriate by communal standards is liable to be punished... Women who choose options which are disapproved of by the community, whether to have a sexual relationship with a man in a religious or class communities, or to live out their sexuality in ways often subjected to violence and is essential, though. Otherwise, injustice will continue. sex with women, or transgender men. re conducted by native Russian speakers. in Kyrgyzstan and internationally that work in support of human rights, LGBT rights, sex worker rights, and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. "Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences," UN Doc. E/CN.4/1997/47, 12 February 1997. Human Rights Watch October 2008 Domestic Violence and Abuse violence begin as children in their natal home. However in adolescence, a girl’s refusal to conform to cultural understandings of sexuality and “femininity” becomes a fthat she may suffer. Nurbek, a Labrys advocate, comments, “[M]ost of our cases are Moreover, once adults, lesbians and transgender men is too often a part of married life in Kyrgyzstan—particularly vulnerable if a woman’s Never act like a man”: beatings Nurbek, a 25-year-old transgender man, reUntil he was tired, basically. The next day he started beating me again…He beat me with whatever came into his hands, Human Rights Watch interview with Nurbek, Bishkek, November 1, 2005. “Reconciled to Violence” examines the phenomenon of spousal abuse and bride kidnapping in detail. Without being identified as such, at least one lesbian (or bisexual) woman’s testimony is included in the report. “Gender Talk” radio show on WNBR with hosts Nancy Nangeroni and Gordene O. MacKenzie and guests Nurbek and Anna Kirey, August 5, 2006, http://www.gendertalk.com/real/550/gt570.shtml. Human Rights Watch interview with Nurbek, Bishkek, November 1, 2005. Human Rights Watch October 2008 happened. The most humiliating thing was that I could not leave my Some victims report death threats. Djazgul, disapproves of her lesbian friends; he warned her, “If I ever see you with this gang Her uncle promised he will hire someone to “These everyday humiliations”: psychological abuse psychological pressure: these everyday humiliations.”[My brother] used to say: “Now you are the sick one, so we cannot but which stunk real bad. He used to say to me, “Who are you in this Human Rights Watch interview with Askar, Bishkek, November 1, 2005. Human Rights Watch interview with Djazgul, Bishkek, August 8, 2007. Human Rights Watch interview with Shoira, Bishkek, July 7, 2007. Human Rights Watch interview with Gulzat and Keres, Bishkek, July 7, 2007. Human Rights Watch interview with Nurbek, Bishkek, November 1, 2005. Human Rights Watch October 2008 08 Specifically to leave marks, so that, as he says, I won’t leave. If he would beat me, and let’s say broke my hand or leg, I would still run away easily. But how will I appear in such shape [with my face bruised]? This, he knows, is the thing that holds I was constantly being controlled. For every trip to the city, I had to find to the city, I had to find also controlled me financially. For instance, [my sister] signed instead of me to get my salary, so that I The shortage of shelters in Kyrgyzstan for women facing violence hurts lesbians, bisexual women, and transgender men, as it 27all perpetrators husbands, though in identifying as men; likewise, claiming to be “women” for the sake of obtaining services can be a negation of their identities that replicates, instead of offering because of their sexuality or Human Rights Watch interview with Nurbek, Bishkek, November 1, 2005. Each Kyrgyz regional center should have one women’s shelter, but each shelter typically has only two or three beds. For instance, in Bishkek, with a population close to a million, the local women’s shelter has twelve beds. The shelter provides refuge to victims of trafficking as well as of domestic violence. It is run by a local NGO and financed by international organizations. The state’s role is limited to providing rooms and utilities free of charge. An activist told Human Rights Watch, “There was a woman or FTM, who went to [a women’s shelter] and they called me. They didn’t know if he was a boy or a girl. He was trafficked from somewhere. He said he was a boy, and he looked like a girl. He was afraid to go out on the street because he was afraid he would be beaten up. He was very scared. We took him to the border and helped him leave the country. We didn’t know how to help him.” Human Rights Watch telephone interview with Anna Kirey, January 29, 2007. Human Rights Watch October 2008 girl. They said, “[Lesbians] are not human beings. … Mom tells the Many families believe sexual relations with someone of the opposite sex can “cure” homosexuality. Askar told us, old us, my mother, telling her, “She is not pressure on me, saying,” Father is very angry with you, so is your h, “A couple of days ago, I would forget about [being transgender]…apossible that they will try to do it secretly. You know, in our country, a girl’s Human Rights Watch interview with Elmira, Bishkek, August 6, 2007. The Labrys emergency shelter works to respond to the urgent needs of lesbian women and transgender men, but has been recurrently threatened by financial limitations, and was forced to close in 2007. In February 2008 Labrys was able to re-open acommunity center and shelter with six beds and two rooms. Human Rights Watch interview with Askar, Bishkek, November 1, 2005. Human Rights Watch group interview with Labrys members, Bishkek, October 29, 2005. Human Rights Watch interview with Nurbek, Bishkek, November 1, 2005. Human Rights Watch October 2008 our sister.” Where we were was quite crowded, but I was afraid to cry for help. Nobody would have Sometimes my mom would say, “I wthat I have sex with them. Until we moved away, I had to hide to avoid em. Until we moved away, I had to hide to avoid but I did not go for medical help. A year later, I had to be hospitalized. As it turned out, I had a severe infection in my uterus… Damira had been raped before, when she was 12: “I liked a girl who lived nearby and I used to visit her often on evenings. Once I was caught by several drunk guys, who beat me up and raped me. I did not mention anything to my mom or to anybody else due to the fear of them not being able to understand, as my parents were against me walking in the evenings.” She says: “After all these incidents, sometimes I feel like I am losing my mind. I can’t communicate raped by two men while three others watched. “They punched me in the head, cursing the whole time. They beat me bad They beat me badfirst] they thought I was a man, that’s probably why they beat me so badly. They did Labrys interview with Damira, Bishkek, November 2005, on file at Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch October 2008 would try in an underhanded way to touch my breasts to verify if they were there.”o speak Kyrgyz see me, they ask if I’m My gender is discussed on the spot…There’s something they are just asking ‘who or street thought that I was a gay man and wanted to beat me up. I didn’t know which t that I was a gay man and wanted to beat me up. I didn’t know which chased me and I just managed to get inside [my apartment], but they beat at the door for hours.”44 Djazgul told Human Rights Watch that harassmthe house and see people. I do not want to use the public transportation. I am tired of the constant question ‘Are you a guy or Kim, “Lesbian, who is she?” Labrys Magazine, vol. 2, March – April 2005. Human Rights Watch telephone interview with Tolekan, May 14, 2007. Human Rights Watch group interview with Labrys members, Bishkek, October 29, 2005. Human Rights Watch interview with Djazgul, Bishkek, August 8, 2007. Human Rights Watch October 2008 appeal to the police. So she went to the It is also clear, though, that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people—who individual cases show that lesbians, gays, respondents reporting problems with the police because of their sexual orientation.lesbians and arresting lesbians who were caught holding hands.Askar told us: “[T]he police do not help. get in touch with the police. I could apply to them about the beatings from my b Human Rights Watch interview with Shoira, Bishkek, July 7, 2007. Dennis van der Veur, “Kyrgyzstan: The county of human rights…but not for homosexuals!” a HIVOS/COC Netherlands report, August 2004, pp. 47-51. An earlier study of barriers to HIV/AIDS prevention programs for men who have sex with men, conducted in 1997 by the WHO and UNAIDS, found that 11% of respondents cited police intolerance as a major obstacle to accessing prevention programs. See Robert Oostvogels, “Assessment of Men who have Sex with Men in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan,” prepared for Republican AIDS Center, August 25, 1997, on file at Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch interview with Askar, Bishkek, November 1, 2005. t.A.T.u. is a Russian singing duo whose two leads have sometimes suggested they are lesbians. Human Rights Watch interview with Djazgul, Bishkek, August 8, 2007. Human Rights Watch October 2008 [about $US and told me if I told anyone what happened they would find me and transgender people’s human rights. mission to stress HIV/AIDS prevention and could only register with the help of another established NGO. Labrys officially registered as an NGO in 2006, but had to stigma still attached to homosexuality. When people see the word 'lesbian' their ople see the word 'lesbian' their ediately change and officials may find thousands of ‘real’ reasons for not registering or complicating many things.”60 Despite Labrys’ official status, in December 2005 a Bishkek policeman paid a threatening call on its office, demanding to see its documents, as well as the IDs of Labrys interview with Damira, November 2005, on file at Human Rights Watch. Email from Anna Dogvopol, April 10, 2007. The group plans to re-register as an organization openly working on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Human Rights Watch telephone interview with Labrys members who asked not to be named, March 12, 2007. Human Rights Watch October 2008 All this happened as Kyrgyz authorities were showing growing hostility toward civil harassment may have a disproportionate ly opposed human rights protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. On elements of democracy … Therefore we nd dignity of men and women, and the identity is a pervasive problem. A staffer from the Office of the Ombudsman, which plays a critical role in protecting the ri2005 Labrys roundtable—a strongly positive step—but asserted that existing rights protections were fully sufficient: “I believe that the rights of homosexuals are “Kyrgyzstan: Halt Anti-Gay Raids: Police Search LGBT ‘Safe Space,’” Human Rights Watch news release, April 17, 2008, http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/04/17/kyrgyz18570.htm. In early 2006, Minister of Justice Marat Kaipov launched criminal charges against several NGOs working on human rights and democracy, and announced investigations of all NGOs operating in Kyrgyzstan that received foreign funding. In March 2006, the then ombudsman Tursunbai Bakir uulu proposed, in a letter to Prime Minister Feliks Kulov, a ban on foreign NGOs working in Kyrgyzstan, as well as on domestic NGOs receiving foreign funding. Approximately 7000 NGOs operate in Kyrgyzstan, and with little domestic funding available, most could not operate without funding from foreign donors, including the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and private foundations. The government ultimately rejected these initatives, but physical attacks on civil society activists also became a feature of Kyrgyz political life. Tursunbek Akun, former chairman of the Presidential Commission for Human Rights and later national ombudsman, quoted in E. Nurubayev, “Gay problems of Kyrgyzstan,” Institute for War and Peace Reporting, reprinted in Dennis van der Veur, “Kyrgyzstan: The county of human rights…but not for homosexuals!” a HIVOS/COC Netherlands report, August 2004, p. 53. Human Rights Watch October 2008 Legal and Social Status of Women in Kyrgyzstan entails understanding the troubled situation of women more generally. strict assumptions about how women men and men is generally strictly enforced. Women’s autonomy is hindered by domestic Rights Watch report “Reconciled to Violence” The Kyrgyzstan government’s own report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW Committee) in 2002 n-making, and the persistence of gender e CEDAW Committee expressed concern about the status of women in Kyrgyzstan, growing ratgyzstan, growing rattotal number of unemployed are women.”70 The Committee also pointed to “the persistence of discriminatory cultural practices and stereotypes related to the roles The committee considered the second periodic report of Kyrgyzstan (CEDAW/C/KGZ/2 and Add.1) at its 632nd and 633meetings, on January 14, 2004 (see CEDAW/C/SR.632 and 633). “Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,” Thirtieth session (January 12-30, 2004), Thirty-first session (July 6-23, 2004), General Assembly Official Records, Fifty-ninth Session, Supplement No. 38 (A/59/38), United Nations, New York, 2004. Human Rights Watch October 2008 “Law on Social-Legal Protection from ess the issue. The law defines domestic violence as “any w defines domestic violence as “any ts and freedoms, inflicts physical or mental suffering and causes moral harm; or contains a threat to the physical or mental development of a minor member of the famifamily relationships, prohibiting violence violence by spouses, and is gender neutral.“committed or attempted to commit.” The temporary restraining orders issued by law enforcement agencies and protective court orders. The former entitles a victim to immediate police protection for up to 15 de abuser’s behavior. Protective court is punishable by a larger fine and 10 to 15 days’ administrative arrest. Effectively The law has not been effectively implemented. In 2008 the Forum of Women's NGOs years since the law came into effect, the ns. Despite these numbers, courts issued disaggregated data on domestic violence, including adequate statistics on police 150 domestic violence complaints were filed with police in 2006—but only 19 cases reached courts, and only four protection orders were issued as a result. Law on Social-Legal Protection from Domestic Violence, 2003. Forum of Women's NGOs of Kyrgyzstan, “Information for the CEDAW Pre-Session (42 CEDAW session),” 2008, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/ngos/ForumofWomensNGOS_Kyrgyzstan42.pdf. Human Rights Watch October 2008 woman. The act of a man raping a man Decriminalizing homosexual conduct has Health Organization (WHO) report on men tan, told Human Rights Watch “No of police harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people continue, and the government has taken no further steps to secure their rights, such as introducing legislation to protect against discrimination, to ensure equal treatment for all kinds of families, or prevent or punish violence.80 Ministry of Health policy allows transgender people in Kyrgyzstan in principle to their gender in official identity papers.medical system in Kyrgyzstan—and complete SRS is a condition for legal identity change. A Ministry of Health representative told Labrys in May 2007 that it recognized the need for improved procedures for legal identity change and that it In the meantime, transgender men 78 Article 129 of the criminal code states that “The act of rape, i.e. the sexual act with the use of physical force or the threat of its use, upon a female victim, as well as taking advantage of the helpless state of a female victim, -is punishable by imprisonment of five to eight years...Article 130 states that comparable “homosexual or other sexual acts with the use of physical force”—the rest of the language is parallel—“are punishable by imprisonment of three to eight years.” E- mail to Human Rights Watch from Robert Oostvogels, February 2, 2007. Kyrgyzstan’s HIV/AIDS law (“Act No. 149 of 13 August 2005 on HIV/AIDS in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan” adopted July 1, 2005) contains the only positive or neutral reference to sexual orientation or gender identity in Kyrgyz law or public policy, committing the state to address the needs of men who have sex with men in the context of HIV/AIDS service provision, but making no reference to lesbians, bisexual women, or transgender people. 81 Human Rights Watch telephone interview with Anna Kirey, May 14, 2007. Ibid.; e-mail to Human Rights Watch from Anna Kirey, August 16, 2008. Human Rights Watch October 2008 Religious authorities preach and foster prejudice. In a country that is 75% Muslim,then the leader of the Muslim unite our efforts and maybe start punishingmoral values. Of course, our church will Russian Orthodox Church in Kyrgyzstan denied a press report that it accepted sodomites.” “Kyrgyzstan” in CIA World Fact Book (2007), https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kg.html#People, (accessed May 24, 2007). 89 “Kyrgyzstan: Focus on Gay and Lesbian Rights,” “Focus on Gay and Lesbian Rights,” IRIN, January 11, 2005, at http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/36a54bc140eef1e95f0110d366f6e218.htm (accessed August 2, 2008). “Russian Orthodox Church Has Never Supported, Does Not Support, and Will Never Support Sodomites,” press release by the Central Asian eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church, March 3, 2008, http://kyrgyzlabrys.wordpress.com/2008/03/04/russian-orthodox-church-against-sodomites/, accessed September 4, 2008. Human Rights Watch October 2008 has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women." Its article 5.a. commits stpatterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of es which are based on the idea of the the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women.” Both articles are violated when people are singled out for unequal treatment because they fail to conform toof Discrimination Against Women condemned Committee recommends that lesbianism be reconceptualized as a sexual orientation.” The Committee’s recommendation that ic of “sexual orientation” requires The “Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in human rights experts and released in 2007, affirm the standards of the ICCPR and CEDAW. “Everyone is entitled to enjoy all human rights without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity…Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity includes any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on sexual orientation or gender identity which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal basis, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.” They instruct states to amend domestic legislation and private acts of discrimination. “Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women” (Fifty-fourth session, 1999), U.N. Doc A/54/38 (Part I), 4 May 1999, p. 128, “Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity,” principle 2. Human Rights Watch October 2008 suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation recognizes that pervasive sex-based stereotyping perpetuates social prejudices and 105measures to combat gender-based violence, including instituting effective and from cruel, inhuman or degrading instruct states to “take all necessary legislative, administrative and other measures or gender identity of the victim, as well as the incitement of such acts.” 106As also noted above, implementation ofArticle 66-3 imposes an administrative fine on the perpetrator of domestic violence, including physical, psychological, and sexu Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, “General Recommendation 19, Violence against women.” “Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity,” principle 10. Human Rights Watch October 2008 ns, bisexual women, women who have sex with women, and transgender men that Human Rights Watch spoke with for this report was the simplest: acknowledge that we exist. Such an acknowledgement means they are bearers of rights, and that their sexual orientation or gender identity cannot be used to deny those rights or subject them to violence or discrimination. publicly reaffirm that all such people contrary are illegal and will be prosecuted. Thwhenever an incident of discrimination or abuse comes to light. These recommendations spell out that principle in greater detail. To the Government of Kyrgyzstan Educate law enforcement and the judiciary about lesbians and transgender representing their concerns, to explore ways to overcome them. and discrimination based on sexual Refrain from statements that incite hatred, violence, and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity. the state against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people. Credible, independent oversight bodies including the Office of the Ombudsman should Human Rights Watch October 2008 Include sexual orientation- and gender identity–based discrimination expressly in the mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman as an issue to be In accordance with the concerns of thprograms for all women’s financial empowerment: including ensuring safety employment, and providing remuneration for labor by all members of the household. ding criminalizing marital rape. and jurisprudence, including sexual orientation and gender identity. Improve direct services for lesbians and transgender men: can provide targeted assistance to minor children, either with other mediation with abusers only at the victim’s request. The Ministry of Health should work with other agencies to ensure the training about sexual orientation and gender identity, including transgender Human Rights Watch October 2008 into projects already in the assistance program. transgender men in meetings with senior Kyrgyz government officials. implement laws against discrimination. Ensure that Technical Aid to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS) and related EuropeAid funding for direct services—including legal and psychological counseling and housing and medical treatment—includes and reaches lesbian, bisexual, and transgender victims of violence. Fund civil society initiatives that conduct research and advocacy on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender human rights. victims of violence—including legal and psychological counseling and housing and medical treatment—als the government of Kyrgyzstan to enforce laws against violence and implement laws prohibiting discrimination against lesbians and transgender men. Human Rights Watch October 2008 Sexual orientation: the way in which a person's sexual and emotional desires are directed. The term categorizes according to the sex of the object of desire—that is, it describes whether a person is attracted primarily toward people of the same or opposite sex or to both. Transgender: one whose inner gender identity or outward gender expression differs bodies but have a predominantly female gender identity. Transgender Men in Kyrgyzstan