BISHKEK -- Feminist activists and domestic violence survivors marched in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, on March 8 to mark International Women's Day and to demand that women's rights be defended and respected.
The demonstrators gathered near the monument of Urkia Salieva, a figure of female emancipation in the Central Asian nation, and marched to Gorky Park with posters bearing slogans such as "Real Men Are Not Scared Of Equality," "An Educated Girl Finds Her Place," "Defend Our Mothers And Sisters," and "I Want To Live In A Safe Country."
Asel Nogoibaeva, whose ex-husband, Azamat Estebesov, raped and severely beat her -- cutting off her nose and ears -- told the marchers they can't stop fighting for their rights.
“You all know the horror I went through.... But I am not alone. My case is just one of hundreds of thousands of situations women face daily in Kyrgyzstan. There will be no results unless all types of violence are criminalized. The torture will go on," Nogoibaeva, whose husband was handed a 20-year prison term in January, said.
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
What's Driving A Rash Of Suicides In A Remote Kyrgyz Town?
"It will never do to forgive those who beat and torture their spouses. Never believe their promises that they will change. They will attack again. I see police here. Dear police officers, in many cases, you are the only hope for domestic violence victims. Do not hesitate to intervene and stop attackers. Judges, look into the domestic violence cases the same way you look into other heavy crimes!" she continued.
Police officers present at the gathering and march did not interfere.
An activist from neighboring Kazakhstan, who introduced herself as Aida, said she came to Bishkek from Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, because this year the city administration did not allow activists to hold a rally for women's rights there.
"In 2023, in Kazakhstan, some 100,000 domestic violence cases were officially registered. We have been demanding the Kazakh government toughen punishment for such crimes. Rallies like this one are important for all countries," Aida stated.
Kyrgyzstan's Interior Ministry said earlier that 13,104 cases of domestic violence had been registered in the country last year, which was 32 percent higher than in 2022.
The country has witnessed several high-profile cases of deadly bride-snatching and domestic violence in recent years.