In the “Bodrost” bathhouse in Moscow, security forces conducted a raid against Kyrgyz citizens. During the raid, migrants were forced to crawl in a semi-naked state, with most of them lying face down on the ground. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained this brutal treatment by stating that it was due to “the migrants resisting law enforcement officers.”
According to available information, during the operation, foreign citizens resisted law enforcement officers. For this reason, appropriate measures were taken against these foreigners. At the same time, the ministry emphasized that our security agency personnel acted within the scope of their existing authority in accordance with Russian legislation.
It was noted that the raid was planned and not directed against citizens of a specific country. During the raid, 59 foreign citizens were detained, of whom 25 were in Russia in violation of migration laws. Some of those detained are suspected of being “connected with radical groups.”
At the same time, Kyrgyzstan's human rights representative (ombudsman) Jamilya Jamanbayeva expressed concern about the level of force used in the “Bodrost” bathhouse during a meeting with her Russian counterpart Tatyana Moskalkova.
Viewing the footage of the incident raises questions about the proportionality and legitimacy of the use of force by law enforcement officers during the mass detention of Kyrgyz citizens.
Any administrative or use of force measures against Kyrgyz citizens must be applied in accordance with procedural rights and guarantees of international obligations. Jamanbayeva reminded that Kyrgyzstan is a full member of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Moskalkova stated that she had already responded to this and that after her appeal, the Russian prosecutor's office and migration authorities began investigating the incident that occurred in “Bodrost.”
The incident occurred on April 10 in a bath complex belonging to a Kyrgyz citizen who had obtained Russian citizenship.
In the circulated photos and videos, members of the security forces are seen wearing balaclavas (masks) and red armbands, beating clients in the bathhouse, forcing them to lie face down on the ground, crawl or move on their knees, and even walking over those lying down.
Regarding the incident, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian ambassador Sergey Vakunov and handed over an official note demanding an explanation.
The Kyrgyz side requested Russia to take practical measures to protect the rights of its citizens and to prevent such incidents in the future. It was emphasized that such events could damage the allied and strategic partnership relations between Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
The Kyrgyz Ministry of Labor, Social Protection, and Migration's office in Moscow has sent a request to the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Moscow prosecutor's office, the Russian ombudsman, and other agencies to take appropriate measures regarding the incident in the “Bodrost” bathhouse.
