Kyrgyzstan

(RSF/IFEX) – In the run-up to the 27 February 2005 legislative elections, President Askar Akayev is using his control of Kyrgyzstan’s news media to smear or neutralise the opposition and avoid the political upheaval that has been seen in recent months following elections in Georgia and Ukraine, RSF said. The organisation called on President Akayev […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on the head of the State Agency for Communications, Andrei Titov, to investigate a disinformation campaign in which e-mail messages designed to discredit a number of opposition figures were sent out on around 8 January 2005 from addresses belonging to the opposition websites http://www.Gazeta.kg and http://Centrasia.ru without the knowledge of […]

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – Kyrgyzstan’s “MSN” and “Res Publica” newspapers are facing government pressure over reports published in the papers on an alleged secret government session last December. According to Zamira Sadykova, a senior editor of “Res Publica” newspaper, the papers received an official notice demanding they disclose their sources for the report or face legal […]

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The following is an alert from the Trade Union for Journalists in Kyrgyzstan, an Adil Soz partner: In November 2004, the editorial staff of the independent newspaper “Faktor”, published in the Issyk-Kul region, announced the paper’s closure, citing financial difficulties. However, according to one of the paper’s journalists, who wishes to remain […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has written to Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev cautioning against too broad an interpretation of national security threats and asking him to ensure that the fight against terrorism is not used as a pretext to gag independent media that are needed to build a true democracy. The letter was prompted by a meeting […]

(Freedom House/IFEX) – The following is a 10 May 2004 Freedom House press release: CENTRAL ASIAN GOVERNMENTS MUST LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON PRESS FREEDOM May 10, 2004, NEW YORK – The continuing infringement on media freedom in Central Asia is one of the major human rights abuses plaguing the region, Freedom House said today. According to […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 28 April 2004 CPJ press release: KYRGYZSTAN: TV station back on the air after a 40-day shutdown New York, April 28, 2004-The independent television station Pyramida, based in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, was returned to the air yesterday after being prevented from broadcasting for 40 days, according to […]

(Freedom House/IFEX) – The following is a Freedom House press release: KYRGYZSTAN INTIMIDATING HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND JOURNALISTS NEW YORK, November 11, 2003 — Law enforcement officials in Kyrgyzstan should cease their intimidation of non-violent human rights activists and independent journalists, Freedom House said today. Kyrgyz authorities are again pursuing a criminal case against independent […]

(Freedom House/IFEX) – The following is a 24 September 2003 Freedom House press release: KYRGYZSTAN SHOULD INVESTIGATE JOURNALIST’S MYSTERIOUS DEATH NEW YORK, September 24, 2003 — Kyrgyzstan should undertake a thorough independent investigation into the mysterious death of Ernest Nazalov, a journalist who investigated corruption among Kyrgyz officials. Mr. Nazalov’s body was reportedly found September […]

(Freedom House/IFEX) – The following is an 18 June 2003 Freedom House press release: KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT MUST CEASE LAW SUITS AGAINST FREE PRESS NEW YORK, June 18, 2003–Officials in Kyrgyzstan are systematically threatening media outlets with legal action, effectively shutting down independent press in the country and leading to an overall decline in citizen access […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the relentless harassment of the independent daily “Moya Stolitsa-Novosti” by means of libel suits by government officials, which forced editor-in-chief Alexander Kim to announce the newspaper’s closure on 11 June 2003, because of bankruptcy. The paper had been ordered to pay more than 77,000 euros (approx. US$90,700) in damages and […]

(Freedom House/IFEX) – The following is a 4 June 2003 Freedom House press release: ATTACKS AGAINST KYRGYZ MEDIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS MUST STOP NEW YORK, June 4, 2003 – Freedom House today expressed deep concern over an increase in attacks against human rights defenders and independent media in Kyrgyzstan. “The Kyrgyz government must immediately […]

(RSF/IFEX) – A Bishkek court has ordered the seizure of the opposition daily “Moya Stolitsa”‘s property and the freezing of its bank accounts, because of the prospect of libel damages against the paper of up to 300,000 euros (approx. US$323,000). “Moya Stolitsa” has regularly denounced corruption by the country’s politicians. “The enormous amount [of damages] […]

(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ media release: IFJ Protests Attack on Kyrgyz Journalist The International Federation of Journalists, the world’s largest journalists’ organisation, has protested to the President of Kyrgyzstan over the violent attack on Alexandra Chernykh, a journalist with the daily Moya Stolitsa. Two unidentified assailants attacked Chernykh on 17 January 2003. […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 17 January 2003, Alexandra Chernykh, a journalist working for the opposition daily “Moya Stolista”, was attacked by two unidentified assailants. Chernykh’s mother, Rina Prizhivoit, is the political editor at the same paper. Prizhivoit is well known for her investigations into political corruption, including her inquiries into the business affairs of President Askar […]

(JuHI/IFEX) – According to information distributed by JuHI’s partner in Bishkek, the Kyrgyzstan Trade Union of Journalists, a journalist was violently beaten by customs officers on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. “This attack on a correspondent of an international media company shows that the situation of journalists in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan is alarming and […]