Karakol, 19 May 2021 - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kyrgyzstan assisted the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic in building capacities of probation officers.

The Probation Department under the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic and the State Commission on religious affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic with the support of the UNDP in the Kyrgyz Republic (STRIVE Asia project, Joint EU-UN Partnership) will hold the second round of trainings on "Preventing extremism, terrorism and family violence among probation clients" for probation officers and probation clients convicted of extremist crimes.

The three-day training course will be attended by 20 local probation officers from Issyk Kul and Naryn oblasts. The goal of the event is to raise awareness among probation officers about state policy on preventing and fighting extremism, combating terrorism and other group recruitment, preparing socio-psychological portrait of probation clients for more effective work and other important aspects of probation institution activities.

In parallel, the training included preventive activities with probationers convicted of extremism and terrorism crimes, during which information was shared about religious organizations whose activities are prohibited in the Kyrgyz Republic, the responsibility of clients for inciting hatred and the national legislation on protection against domestic violence.

Training participant Karybek kyzy Rakhat, chief specialist from Naryn district stated: «We help convicted clients to reintegrate into society, restore relations with their families, relatives. We also provide humanitarian and material assistance to low-income families and families with children. For those in need, we help them find a job or receive education, and even pay a stipend. We do our part in correcting them and leading them to the right path».

It should be noted that probation is a socio-legal institution of the state, which applies to probation clients a set of measures of state and public assistance with their voluntary participation in individual socio-legal rehabilitation programs. These individual programs are developed on the basis of a social study of the personality and are aimed at correcting probation clients, preventing the commission of offenses, providing social assistance and taking measures for their re-socialization. The Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On Probation" enacted in 2019 created a legal basis for "probation," a new institution for Kyrgyzstan. According to statistics from the Department of Probation as of May 17, 2021, there were 120 people on the extremism registry nationwide.

"Currently, the interregional department for the Issyk-Kul and Naryn regions has a total of 743 probation clients, nine of whom are convicted of extremism and terrorism. Our staff conducts preventive activities together with representatives of LSG and clergy, going from house to house, talking to them and trying to steer them in the right direction. Social legal assistance is provided. By participating in the training, both experienced and new employees will gain knowledge of religion, identify the differences between terrorists and extremists, and conduct their future work more effectively," said Ernist Namazbekov, director of the Interagency Department on Issyk-Kul and Naryn Provinces.

A similar training was also held with the support of UNDP in Osh in April. UNDP Kyrgyzstan provided technical support to equip six regional centers in Bishkek, Osh, Jalal-Abad, Kyzyl-Kyia, and Alameda district of Chui province.

The initiative is supported by the UNDP project "Building Resilience to Violent Extremism in Asia (STRIVE Asia), funded by the European Union through the EU-UN Joint Partnership.

Link to photo album from the event: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmVGew4Z

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