Warden Message
December 7, 2007

The U.S. Embassy has recently received reports of the attempted kidnapping of U.S. citizen females in rural Kyrgyzstan. In one of these cases, a U.S. citizen was kidnapped and held against her will for several days before escaping. Both of these cases are believed to be related to the local practice of bridal kidnapping. While U.S. citizens are not believed to be intentional targets, the U.S. Embassy would like to remind U.S. citizens to exercise caution and observe situational awareness, especially while traveling in remote areas.

While these incidents involved single females traveling by themselves, all travelers should exercise the same safety precautions. In one of the reported cases, the person was traveling in a shared, long-distance taxi when the incident occurred in a rural area in southern Kyrgyzstan. As stated in our Consular Information Sheet, U.S. citizens are reminded not to get into a car with people they do not know. The mere presence of another female passenger is not always a deterrent in these cases. Local citizens may be hesitant to intervene. As described in our publication “A Safe Trip Abroad” (available at https://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html), make sure family or friends have your itinerary and know when to expect your arrival. Consider establishing check-in times and procedures. When traveling, make sure you have a means of communication such as a cell phone in case you need to call for assistance. Consider traveling with a friend or acquaintance rather than alone.

U.S. citizens are urged to register and update their contact information through the State Department's travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/. The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek is located at 171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. The phone number is 996-312-551-241 and may be used after hours. Fax: 996-312-551-264, and website: https://bishkek.usembassy.gov. 
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at https://www.travel.state.gov/, where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Kyrgyzstan Consular Information Sheet and other Public Announcements and Travel Warnings can be found.  Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada; or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).