During the meeting, not only amendments to the Constitution were discussed, but also the resumption of debates on the death penalty, which raised concerns among the participants. Jamila Dzhamanbaeva noted that in 2023, the number of crimes against women and children, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, increased by 30%.
Statistics also show that in 2024, more than 64% of appeals to the Akýkatçy Institute were related to the work of the judiciary and law enforcement agencies. "Society reacts emotionally to cases of violence, but we are confident that the return of the death penalty will not solve the problem. It is important to improve the quality of investigations, ensure the inevitability of punishment, and strengthen measures to prevent crimes," added Dzhamanbaeva.
In 2023, the Ombudsman Institute had already expressed its position against the return of the death penalty when a group of deputies appealed to the Constitutional Court to reconsider the ban on this measure. The Akýkatçy emphasized that their position remains unchanged: the return of the death penalty contradicts Kyrgyzstan's international obligations, including the provisions of the Second Optional Protocol, ratified in 2010.
UN representatives expressed support for the Akýkatçy's position, noting that the return of the death penalty not only contradicts international obligations but could also negatively impact the country's image as a defender of human rights. "If the initiative is implemented, it will seriously distance Kyrgyzstan from its international commitments. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Second Optional Protocol do not contain conditions for denunciation, and the abolition of the death penalty is legally irreversible for countries that have ratified these agreements," emphasized Antje Grave.
As a result of the meeting, the parties agreed to continue their joint work.
