Azizbek Ashurov
{{Short description|21st-century Kyrgyz lawyer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Azizbek Ashurov
| native_name = Азизбек Ашуров
| image = Azizbek Ashurov.jpg|
| caption = Ashurov in 2022
| birth_name = Ashurov Azizbek Dzhunusovich
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| citizenship = Kyrgyzstan
| occupation = human rights lawyer
| education =
| spouse =
| children =
| awards = Nansen Refugee Award (2019)
}}
Azizbek Dzhusunbekovich Ashurov ({{langx|ky|Азизбек Джусунбекович Ашуров}}) is a Kyrgyz human-rights lawyer born in Uzbekistan. He is the founder of the Ferghana Valley Lawyers Without Borders organization and is known for his work to resolve all known statelessness cases in Kyrgyzstan.
Ashurov was awarded the Nansen Refugee Award for his efforts in 2019.{{Cite web |last=Fossen |first=Magnus |date=2019-10-13 |title=– Vidkun Quisling var ikke bare ond |url=https://www.abcnyheter.no/a/195617549/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=www.abcnyheter.no |language=no}} He is the first person to receive the award for work on statelessness.{{cite web |title=High-Level Segment on Statelessness |url=https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/5ec3e91b4.pdf |website=UNHCR |access-date=29 April 2023}}
Personal life
Ashurov and his family moved from Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-02 |title='Tenacious' Kyrgyz lawyer and statelessness champion, wins prestigious UNHCR prize |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/10/1048382 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=UN News |language=en}} Despite his legal training, he struggled to navigate the process of getting Kyrgyz citizenship.
Career
Ashurov helped found the Ferghana Valley Lawyers Without Borders organization to assist stateless people in Kyrgyzstan obtain citizenship. He collaborated with the Kyrgyzstani government on efforts to end statelessness in the country, and an amnesty on all fines levied towards stateless people.{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Colleen |date=31 October 2019 |title=Kyrgyzstan Eradicates Statelessness, Challenges Remain |work=The Diplomat |id={{ProQuest|2310633664}} |url=https://thediplomat.com/2019/10/kyrgyzstan-eradicates-statelessness-challenges-remain/ }} Ashurov travelled by car and by horse to support undocumented people in remote parts of Kyrgyzstan. A total of 13,000 stateless people obtained citizenship in 2019, making Kyrgyzstan the first country to end statelessness.{{Cite web |title=Nobel Peace Center |url=https://www.nobelpeacecenter.org/en/exhibitions/undefined |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Nobel Peace Center |language=en}}
In 2021, Ashurov established a center on nationality issues as part of a project implemented with his Nansen Award prize.{{cite web |title=The UN Refugee Agency supports the prevention of statelessness in Kyrgyzstan |url=https://kyrgyzstan.un.org/en/145487-un-refugee-agency-supports-prevention-statelessness-kyrgyzstan |access-date=29 April 2023 |date=22 September 2021}} In cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic, the center provides capacity building and education for state services, lawyers, and law students on issues of nationality, statelessness, and migration.
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://www.statelessness.eu/updates/interviews/interview-azizbek-ashurov-winner-2019-nansen-award Interview - Azizbek Ashurov, winner of the 2019 Nansen Award], European Network on Statelessness, 17 December 2019
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashurov, Azizbek}}
Category:Uzbekistani emigrants
Category:Organization founders