Kyrgyz administration launched in the past months activities against free media and civil society.
The actions include targeting Azattyk, the Kyrgyz branch of RFE/RL, through website access blocks, fines, and the freezing of bank accounts and as result Azzattyk can not pay financial obligations. Using technical problems as explanation, the National RTV Corporation stopped transmitting radio shows produced by Azattyk.
Independent journalists in Kyrgyzstan have been blamed for promoting an LGBT agenda and that they are financed by “western money” and from “organsations in West Europe and USA”.
In 2022 President Sadyr Nurgojoyevich Japarov / Zhaparov /, ratified the law “Protecting from Inaccurate Information”, which helps the state to block webpages.
Also last year Kaktus.media was acussed for
propaganda and starting a conflict. Several staff members were invited for questioning at the state prosecutor’s office.
In March 2022, Taalay Duyshenbiyev, the director of the Next TV, was arrested and charged under Article 330 of the Kyrgyz Republic Criminal Code
In September 2022 officials submitted draft amendments to the Law on Mass Media (Проект Закона Кыргызской Республики «О средствах массовой информации).
On 23 November 2022 a court in Bishkek decided to expel investigative journalist Bolot Temirov from Kyrgyzstan and deported him to Russia.
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