Currently, the colony holds 1,102 inmates.
One of the main problematic aspects is the overcrowding of the institution. The living space per inmate is significantly below the established norm. According to Article 99 of the Criminal Executive Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, the minimum area for one inmate should be at least two square meters. However, in institution No. 27, this figure is only 1.6 square meters.
Representatives of the center for the prevention of torture and human rights monitoring conducted an inspection of the barrack-type living quarters, which consist of two rooms.
In the first building, one room measuring 16.5 square meters houses 10 inmates, while the other room, measuring 23.1 square meters, accommodates 14 inmates. The second building holds 15 people in a room of 26.4 square meters, and in another room of 16.5 square meters, there are 10 inmates.
It is important to note that until 2023, institution No. 27 was designed for 750 places, but in 2026, the limit was increased to 2,000 places, while no new living quarters were built. Legislation establishes a maximum occupancy rate based on the actual living area.
The Ombudsman Institute sent recommendations to the State Penitentiary Service to increase the living space in institution No. 27 in accordance with the requirements of the Criminal Executive Code of the Kyrgyz Republic.
During the inspection, the staff of the Ombudsman Institute held conversations with the inmates, resulting in three requests.
One of the inmates, a German citizen serving a 5-year sentence (under Article 322 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic), requested to inform the German embassy about his presence in the colony.
Another inmate requested assistance in obtaining a pardon. He reported that he had already submitted a petition for pardon in December 2025 but was denied.
The staff of the Ombudsman Institute provided him with legal advice regarding the requirements of the Regulation on the procedure for pardons. He was informed that a repeated petition could be submitted after serving half of the imposed sentence, and in the absence of new circumstances, one year after the signing of the decree by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic rejecting the previous petition.
