Antje Grawe Worried About Exposing Brothel Workers’ Identities
UN Resident Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan raises concern about public exposure of women in anti-prostitution investigations
The UN Resident Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, Antje Grawe, has expressed concern about the public exposure of women in anti-prostitution investigations and has urged the authorities to respect women’s dignity and rights. The representative office of the organization in Kyrgyzstan reported Grawe’s address to relevant authorities in the country, citing potential violations of the women’s rights to privacy, non-discrimination, the presumption of innocence, and protection from degrading treatment.
Grawe emphasized the need to protect potential victims and witnesses of serious criminal offenses, such as trafficking in human beings and forced prostitution, and called for a prompt review of the circumstances leading to the dissemination of the women’s images. She also urged the authorities to identify and uphold the rights of potential victims and witnesses of trafficking or exploitation of prostitution among affected women, as well as to facilitate the immediate removal of all images of the concerned women.
This statement comes after the press center of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan reported the detection of brothels operating in Bishkek and the Chui region under the guise of karaoke clubs and massage parlors. The state committee distributed videos and photographs in which the faces of the detainees were not hidden, and some photographs clearly revealed the personal information of women brought to law enforcement agencies.
In response, the Ombudsman’s Institute of Kyrgyzstan called on government agencies to ensure compliance with the rights of women detected by the State Committee for National Security in brothels, stressing that the publication of photos of women and the disclosure of their personal data are a violation of their legal rights.
The concern raised by the UN Resident Coordinator and the response from the Ombudsman’s Institute highlight the importance of respecting the rights and dignity of women involved in anti-prostitution investigations, and the need for authorities to uphold these rights while pursuing criminal investigations.
