(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 […]
(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 Akayev’s family.
“We ask you to take all possible action to identify those responsible for this attack and to bring them to justice. This attack represents a new assault on the freedom of the independent press and opposition groups in Kyrgyzstan, which continue to face systematic and unacceptable pressure,” RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard stated in a letter to President Akayev.
Chernykh was assaulted in the centre of the capital, Bishkek, while walking home accompanied by her 11 year-old daughter. She was violently struck on the head by her assailants, but her injuries are not considered life threatening.
Prizhivoit told RSF that she believes the two unidentified men had in fact intended to attack her instead of her daughter, and may have even confused the two women. “This act is a clear attempt at intimidation against me. Its intent is to scare me so that I stop writing,” she said.
RSF notes that “Moya Stolista” has been under systematic governmental pressure for several years. In 2002, the state-run printing monopoly, Uchkun, used numerous false pretexts to prevent the printing of issues of the paper that included references to corruption in the higher echelons of power in Kyrgyzstan.
