Although bride kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan is a criminal offence punishable by up to seven years in prison, the practice remains a common occurrence throughout the country. Many Kyrgyz, particularly rural men, view the practice of ala kachuu as a national ‘tradition’ and a birth-rite. Therefore, witnesses and victims rarely report the practice to police, and many police officers are reluctant to punish perpetrators.

Screenshot from video, ‘Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan’, uploaded on January 17, 2012, by YouTube user Vice.

Yet the situation is changing in Kyrgyzstan, with individual victories gradually helping to root out the practice of bride kidnapping. A young woman, Roza, was recently kidnapped in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, by a group of men who tried to force her to marry their friend. The woman was saved after a person who had witnessed the kidnapping called police. Following her release, Roza told the story on Twitter (@katale_ya). Below are some of her tweets that rapidly went viral in Kyrgyzstan.

Вчера впервые поучавствовала в старинном обычае Воровство невесты, и разумеется в качестве невесты-барана была я!..

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

Yesterday I took part in an ancient ritual of bride kidnapping for the first time; obviously, I was the bride, or a sheep, that they tried to kidnap!..

Шла я значит домой после работы, никого не трогала, и вдруг бац, хватают сзади и говорят: Не бойся мы тебя не обидим…

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

I was walking home after work and then suddenly they grabbed me from behind and said, “Don't be afraid, we will not hurt you”…

Думаю: Ну все Роза, прощайся с жизнью! Сейчас увезут хрен знает куда, изнасилуют и убьют…

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

I thought to myself, “This is the end, Roza, say farewell to your life! They will now drive you devil knows where, rape you, and then kill you…”

Я конечно же сопротивлялась! Одному заехала в глаз зарядкой, которая так кстати выпала, другому еще куда-то, кого-то покусала…

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

Obviously I put up the resistance. I hit one of the men in the eye with a [mobile phone] charger which fell out [of a bag]; I then hit another one and bit someone…

Стояла до конца, пока не поняла, что я не Ума Турман, против семерых не выстою… Когда силы закончились, начала кричать…

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

I fought till the end, but then I understood that I was no Uma Thurman [Hollywood actress starring in action movie Kill Bill] and could not fight with seven men… When I became too weak to fight, I started shouting…

Затащили в машину, приехали на квартиру, тащили меня туда разумеется на руках, чтоб не сбежала…

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

They pushed me into a car, then drove somewhere, and then carried me in their hands to an apartment to make sure I didn't escape…

Зашли в квартиру, смотрю, соседка моя стоит и улыбается! А дальше еще какие-то тетки и парни. И все смотрят, как на обезьяну в зоопарке…

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

When we entered the apartment, I saw a female neighbor of mine who stood there smiling. There were also other women and men, all staring at me as if I were a monkey at a zoo…

Завели в комнату и давай мне заливать какой “жених” хороший, выходи за него, не протився, все равно ведь выйдешь замуж, потом жалеть будешь.

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

They took me to one of the rooms and started telling me about how good my “fiance” was, that I should marry him, that I would get married anyway and might then regret [not marrying him].

А я после работы, уставшая, спать хочу, их не слышу… И думаю, если я им щас дам надеть платок, то они успокоятся, а утром я сбегу!..

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

I was tired and sleepy after work, I could not really hear what they were saying…. So I decided to let them put a scarf on my head [a gesture symbolizing an agreement to wed the kidnapper] to calm them down so that I could then run away in the morning.

Легла я спать, и через 5 минут заходит жених и говорит, что мы пойдем к твоим родителям, скажи, что ты остаешься, чтобы они не были против..

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

So I went to bed, but five minutes later, my fiance-to-be entered the room and told me that they were going to my parents’ place; he asked me to tell my parents [over the phone] that I was staying so that they agreed [to the wedding]..

Я говорю, я расскажу маме так как есть, замуж я не хочу, забери меня деп…И тут звонок в дверь! Все подумали, что это гости(в 4 часа утра!)

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

But I told him that I would tell my mother the truth, that I didn't want to marry, and that I wanted [my mother] to save me from there… And then someone rang a door bell! They thought guests came (at 4 am!)

А это оказалась милиция! Боже, вы даже не представляете, как я была счастлива их увидеть!!!

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

But this was police! Gosh, you can't imagine how happy I was to see them!!!

Они спросили:Удерживают ли меня здесь против своей воли?Разумеется,я сказала, что удерживают! И они забрали меня,”жениха” и его друга в РОВД

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

They asked me whether I was held there against my will. Obviously I said that was the case. Police then took me, the “fiance” and his friend to a [local police department].

Оказывается, какой-то мужик с соседнего дома видел, как меня похищали (он вовремя захотел покурить)), позвонил в 102 и назвал марку машины..

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

It turned out that a man living in a nearby house saw them abducting me (he went out for a smoke just at the right time), called [police], and informed them about the car [in which they drove me away].

Милиция меня 4 часа искала, весь Бишкек объездила, в поисках этой машины…

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

Police spent four hours looking for me, they were all over Bishkek, searching for the car…

Приехали в РОВД. Я написала заявление. Парням-дебилам на заметку: За похищение сейчас дают от 5 до 7 лет!!!

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

When we arrived at the [police department], I filed a complaint. For the reference of guys-idiots: [bride] kidnapping is now punishable by a prison term of five to seven years!!

But Roza afterwards decided not to take to court the men who had abducted her. Although many Twitter users disapproved of Roza's decision to let her abductors go unpunished, she said she did not want to “ruin the men's lives”. She tweeted later:

Жизнь продолжается… Так или иначе…

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

Life goes on, one way or another…

И я хочу поскорее забыть это все, как страшный сон…

— Miss Don't Care (@katale_ya) January 17, 2014

And I want to forget this all as a nightmare…