Kyrgyz authorities should lift the two-month home arrest order imposed on Kamil Ruziev, a well-known rights defender, drop all bogus charges against him, and investigate allegations that Kyrgyz security services have threatened him. The international human rights organization Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

«Ruziev filed formal complaints against security officers, so Kyrgyzstan’s security service responded by harassing him with a bogus criminal investigation,» said Mihra Rittmann, senior Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. «Prosecution authorities should instead be carrying out a thorough and timely investigation into Ruziev’s complaint and any abuse of power by the security officials who arrested him.»

Recall, officers of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS) detained the human rights activist on May 31 in the evening in Karakol. The court placed Kamil Ruziev under house arrest.

Ruziev, 56, is a human rights defender and the head of the Karakol-based human rights organization Ventus. He is well-known for his work to end torture in detention and has also provided legal assistance in domestic violence cases.

Ruziev believes he was arrested in retribution for his human rights activities.

«Over the last year I have been filing complaints against the SCNS and the prosecutor’s office,» he told Human Rights Watch. «I also help others whose rights have been violated. The SCNS knows of my human rights work and decided to put pressure on me to get me to stop.»