Kyrgyz migrants living in Russia say they were beaten, forced to crawl, and humiliated during a Moscow police raid. The Kyrgyz government is facing criticism for its muted response, as Moscow denies any wrongdoing.
Footage from April 10 that shows Russian law enforcement officers storming the Bodrost bathhouse complex, a place popular among Kyrgyz migrants in Moscow, has gone viral.
The video, which was posted on social media by Kyrgyz lawmaker Janar Akaev, shows migrants being forced to crawl on the floor and lie on top of each other. One of the detainees told RFE/RL about what they endured.
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Kyrgyz Nationals Report Abuse by Russian Police During Bathhouse Raid
"Some people were challenged to arm-wrestling matches, and those who lost were beaten." said Alikhan, a Kyrgyz national detained in the raid who asked to be identified by his first name only.
"Some had their documents torn up. People were forced to jump into a pool while fully clothed. Others had money taken from their pockets. One person was forced to eat half a kilo of hot peppers." he said, adding that the beating lasted five hours.
"We didn’t understand why they were beating us. One man stood up and asked why. They answered: 'We just don’t like you,'"Alikhan said.
The footage also shows members of a civilian patrol group taking part in the raid. They wore masks and plain clothes, with armbands labeled "Druzhinnik," meaning volunteer patrol.
The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was in contact with the detained individuals.
"The ministry is clarifying information regarding possible unlawful actions by Russian law enforcement during the raid," it said. "The matter is being monitored by the ministry and the embassy."
No Diplomatic Protest
The ministry also summoned the Russian ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Sergey Vakunov, requesting clarification about the operation and why force was used against Kyrgyz citizens. However, it stopped short of issuing a formal diplomatic protest.
Kyrgyzstan's foreign minister was later criticized by members of parliament for what they called a sluggish response to the incident. In reply, the minister hinted that a stronger reaction again Russia could have serious consequences for the entire country.
"We must resolve all issues through negotiations," Jeenbek Kulubaev said. "We cannot issue a demarche tomorrow. If we do, then in three days, all machinery here will come to a halt. Gas and oil will be cut off. They will load hundreds of thousands of our citizens onto trains and deport them."
Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev (file photo)
Russia's Interior Ministry denies any mistreatment of migrants.
"No unlawful actions were committed by the police against the aforementioned individuals," the statement said.
Civil activist Urmat Dzhanabayev also condemned the actions of the Russian officers and urged the Kyrgyz government to respond.
"Judging by what's happening in Russia, our migrants have absolutely no rights, despite Kyrgyzstan being a member of the Eurasian Economic Union," he told RFE'RL's Central Asian Migrant's Unit. "According to those agreements, our migrants should have the same rights as Russian citizens. What Russia is doing now is outright fascism."
Migrants who endured the bathhouse ordeal refused to file official complaints, according to Kyrgyzstan's Labor Ministry.
As the Kulubaev later explained, they declined "for security reasons."
For decades, Russia has been the main destination for workers from Central Asia, but the war in Ukraine and recent terrorist attacks in Moscow have led to unprecedented pressure on migrant workers.