Kyrgyzstan verdict against media journalists equates to a pivotal moment for media liberty.
Kyrgyzstan Faces Criticism Over Conviction of Anti-Corruption Journalists
Rights groups and international watchdogs have condemned the conviction of four journalists from Temirov Live, an anti-corruption news organization in Kyrgyzstan, on charges of inciting civil unrest. The groups characterize the verdict as a substantial blow to press freedom in the Central Asian state.
The outlet's head, Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy, received a six-year prison sentence, while poetry contributor Azamat Ishenbekov was sentenced to five years. Two other journalists were given suspended three-year prison terms, while seven others were acquitted for lack of evidence.
The 11 journalists who faced charges were affiliated with Temirov Live YouTube channel and its affiliate social media channel, Ait Ait Dese. The trial concluded on October 10, with the defendants convicted under charges of obliquely conspiring to incite mass unrest through the production and distribution of content that allegedly discredited Kyrgyz authorities, including President Sadyr Japarov.
Tazhibek kyzy's husband and co-founder, Bolot Temirov, who lives in exile in Russia, was not a defendant in the case. In a highly unusual form of punishment, the court took custody of Tazhibek kyzy's and Temirov's 12-year-old son, making him a ward of the state.
Temirov characterized the sentencing as "hostage taking" in an interview with Eurasianet, stating that the courts and law enforcement agencies in Kyrgyzstan work on orders from the authorities. He claimed that the current authorities no longer have the moral right to discuss the existence of democracy and freedom of speech in the country.
International rights organizations, including Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Reporters Without Borders, line up with Temirov's assessment, describing Kyrgyzstan's descent into a dark new chapter of press freedom suppression. These organizations called on international partners to bring collective pressure to bear on the Kyrgyz government to reverse its attacks on the press.
Temirov Live is an investigative YouTube channel, a local partner of the global non-profit watchdog Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). The channel was launched in August 2020, shortly before Japarov's rise to the presidency. Prior to the conviction, journalists from the outlet had long faced targeting for their journalistic activities. In January 2022, Temirov was charged with various crimes that he claims were politically motivated, leading to his deportation to Russia.
The case against Temirov Live dates back to January, when authorities raided the outlet's office in Bishkek. Lawyers for the defendants asserted that the case against the journalists rested on the misapplication of Kyrgyz law, which specifies that only those making active calls for civil disobedience can be charged under the "inciting" statutes. The content that figured centrally in the case made no such explicit appeals to protest government policies.
Some experts questioned the testimony presented by the prosecution, saying it lacked standing. One expert cited by Kaktus Media stated that he was not an expert or on the register of experts, but merely a research fellow.
Kyrgyzstan ranked 120th out of 180 countries surveyed in Reporters Without Borders' World Press Rankings for 2024, experiencing a precipitous fall in the rankings since Japarov came to power. In 2020, Kyrgyzstan was ranked 82nd out of 180 countries.
- The conviction of the journalists from Temirov Live, an anti-corruption news organization in Kyrgyzstan, has been criticized by rights groups and international watchdogs as a significant setback to press freedom in the Central Asian state.
- International organizations, such as Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Reporters Without Borders, align with the assessment of Temirov Live's head, Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy, who characterized the sentencing as "hostage taking."
- The conviction of the journalists from Temirov Live, a partner of the global non-profit watchdog Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), has sparked concerns regarding freedom of speech and press freedom in Kyrgyzstan, as evidenced by its low ranking in the World Press Rankings for 2024.
