BISHKEK — A day after looking the workplaces of the information web site 24.kg, regulation enforcement officers within the Kyrgyz capital detained for questioning eight present and former members of the Temirov Dwell investigative group and the Ait Ait Dese venture, as the federal government continues to stress impartial media.
Temirov Dwell’s founder, distinguished investigative journalist Bolot Temirov, stated the journalists who have been detained for questioning after their houses and workplaces have been searched on January 16 included his spouse and the director of the Temirov Dwell group, Makhabat Tajybek-kyzy.
Temirov stated on X, previously Twitter, that the searches and detentions could also be linked to 2 latest investigative stories by Temirov Dwell — one a few non-public New 12 months’s Eve flight by President Sadyr Japarov to Milan, Italy, on a authorities aircraft, the second about corruption amongst high officers of the Inside Ministry, together with minister Ulan Niyazbekov.
The Inside Ministry issued an announcement, saying that the searches and detentions for questioning have been linked to a probe launched into unspecified Temirov Dwell publications that “carried parts of requires mass unrest.”
Temirov stated that Temirov Dwell reporters Sapar Akunbekov, Azamat Ishenbekov, and Aike Beishekeeva, in addition to former journalists of the group Aktilek Kaparov, Tynystan Asypbek, Saipidin Sultanaliev, and Joodar Buzumov, additionally had their houses searched.
Temirov, who was deported to Moscow in November 2022 after a courtroom dominated that he illegally obtained Kyrgyz citizenship, which he denies, added that two different workers of the Temirov Dwell group, whom he recognized as Maksat and Jumabek, have been detained.
Kyrgyzstan’s civil society and impartial media have historically been essentially the most vibrant in Central Asia, however that has modified amid a deepening authorities crackdown.
Only a day earlier, officers of the State Committee for Nationwide Safety (UKMK) detained for questioning the director-general of the 24.kg information web site, Asel Otorbaeva, and two editors, Makhinur Niyazova and Anton Lymar, in a case of “propagating warfare” in an unspecified report about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The three have been later launched however ordered to not reveal particulars of the case.
Lawmaker Janar Akaev known as the strikes in opposition to the journalists “an assault on freedom of speech.”
“Such sorts of conditions result in self-censorship, and impede investigative stories on political and corruption points,” Akaev stated, including that the most recent developments round impartial journalists will likely be raised at parliament’s subsequent session.
One other lawmaker, Nurjigit Kadyrbekov, instructed RFE/RL that the continued stress on impartial journalists “might injury the president’s picture.”
UN Human Rights Workplace spokeswoman Liz Throssell expressed concern over the developments round Kyrgyz journalists up to now two days.
“These newest actions by the authorities look like half of a bigger sample of stress in opposition to civil society activists, journalists and different critics of the authorities,” Throssel stated in an announcement on January 16, including, “It’s all the extra regarding that the Kyrgyz Parliament is contemplating a draft regulation on mass media which might limit the suitable to freedom of expression which incorporates media freedom.”
“We name on the authorities to guard freedom of expression and be certain that media laws within the nation is in step with worldwide human rights requirements,” Throssel stated.
