UN Warns Kyrgyzstan Over Rollback of Independent Torture Prevention Body

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has expressed deep concern over a recent move by the Government of Kyrgyzstan to dismantle the country’s independent torture prevention monitoring body. On 23 September 2025, President Sadyr Japarov signed a law abolishing the National Centre for the Prevention of Torture (NCPT) and transferring its mandate to the Ombudsperson’s Institute, an institution that is not yet fully independent.

“This decision flies in the face of Kyrgyzstan’s international human rights obligations,” Türk warned, calling it a serious step backwards in the fight against torture.

The Role of the NCPT

Established in 2012, the NCPT was created to meet Kyrgyzstan’s commitments under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), which the country ratified in 2008. The treaty requires the establishment of an independent National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) to conduct regular, unannounced visits to all places of detention—such as prisons, police cells, psychiatric institutions, and other facilities where individuals are deprived of liberty.

For over a decade, the NCPT has been recognized as a regional model in Central Asia, standing out as the only national institution that fully complied with international standards of independence and effectiveness. Its closure has therefore raised alarm among human rights advocates.

Concerns About the Ombudsperson’s Mandate

While the law grants torture monitoring responsibilities to the Ombudsperson’s Institute, Türk stressed that the body does not yet meet the standards of independence and impartiality required for an effective NPM. He cautioned that without urgent reforms, Kyrgyzstan risks undermining years of progress in preventing torture and ill-treatment.

“I urge the authorities to ensure there is no interruption in torture prevention monitoring,” Türk said. “Any new structure must be functionally, operationally, and financially independent, with a ring-fenced budget to guarantee its effectiveness. Civil society and independent experts must be given a meaningful role in shaping and conducting preventive monitoring.”

International Standards and Treaty Obligations

Under OPCAT, States Parties are obligated to provide NPMs with unrestricted access to detention facilities, secure funding, and the freedom to operate without interference. Transferring the NCPT’s mandate to a government-linked institution without adequate guarantees of independence raises concerns that detention monitoring could become politicized or weakened.

The UN Human Rights Office emphasized that any compromise on independence risks violating international obligations and could lead to increased vulnerability of detainees to torture and ill-treatment.

Past Commitments and Warnings

During his visit to Kyrgyzstan in March 2025, Türk had urged the government to preserve and strengthen the NCPT. He underscored the importance of ensuring adequate resources, trained personnel, and unhindered access to detention sites. The decision to abolish the NCPT, despite these recommendations, represents a reversal of previous commitments.

Call for Urgent Action

Human rights defenders are now calling on Kyrgyzstan to:

• Establish a new torture prevention body within the Ombudsperson’s Institute that complies with OPCAT standards.

• Guarantee operational and financial independence, with sufficient and protected funding.

• Ensure civil society participation in monitoring and oversight.

• Provide immediate clarity on transition arrangements, so there is no gap in monitoring during the restructuring.

Broader Regional Implications

The dismantling of the NCPT could have repercussions beyond Kyrgyzstan, where other Central Asian states are also under pressure to improve detention monitoring systems. The NCPT had long been seen as a positive example in the region, and its closure could discourage similar reforms elsewhere.

As Kyrgyzstan marks more than a decade since ratifying the anti-torture protocol, the dismantling of its independent watchdog threatens to erode progress in human rights protections. The UN and international community are urging swift corrective action to ensure that torture prevention remains a national priority, and that victims and vulnerable populations are not left without protection.