The stories of Gulnara (name changed) and Askhat (name changed) show how police abuse and bias can lead to human rights violations, especially against people who use psychoactive substances.
Gulnara was on her way to a syringe exchange point (SEP) when she was stopped by police officers, citing her “inappropriate behavior.” Under this pretext, they searched her and searched her bag, where they found used syringes, which she was carrying for exchange.
The police began to insult her rudely and, despite the absence of a crime, forcibly took her to a narcological dispensary for a drug test. Although Gulnara did not violate the law, her rights to personal freedom and human dignity were seriously violated.
Another case involved Askhat, a representative of a community of people who use new psychoactive substances (NPS). He was returning home when he was stopped by police officers at the entrance of his house. They said that they had received a complaint from neighbors that Askhat was running a drug den at his home and that people were coming to use drugs.
The conversation was aggressive and intimidating: the police officers called him names and threatened him with imprisonment for creating a brothel. Askhat was shocked, as such accusations were false – he lives with his sister, and such incidents have never happened in his apartment. The police promised to search his apartment and said that they would “definitely find drugs”, but Askhat explained that he had no keys and needed to wait for his sister. The police officers said they would return later to search.
These stories of Gulnara and Askhat show how police bias and abuse of power can violate citizens’ rights. Despite the absence of evidence or violations of the law, they faced insults, intimidation, and threats, which emphasize the need for greater oversight of police actions to protect the rights of vulnerable groups.
Also read:
Overcoming violence and bias due to HIV status: the story of Gularus from Tajikistan
Defending equal rights in Kazakhstan: successful patient advocacy at OAT