Crackdown in Kyrgyzstan as Court Jails Anti-Corruption Journalists

December 18, 2024 – Krygyzstan –

In a major blow to press freedom, a court in Kyrgyzstan has upheld the convictions of four journalists from the investigative media outlet Temirov Live, a team known for its hard-hitting reports on corruption within the government and security services. The Bishkek City Court ruled in December 2024 to maintain prison sentences for Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy, who received six years, and Azamat Ishenbekov, sentenced to five years. Two other journalists, Aike Beishekeyeva and Aktilek Kaparov, were handed three-year suspended sentences. The ruling was later confirmed by the country’s Supreme Court in February 2025, despite domestic and international outcry.

The journalists were charged with “calling for mass unrest” under Article 278(3) of Kyrgyzstan’s criminal code, based on allegations tied to their reporting and social media content. The convictions followed a wave of arrests in early 2024, when eleven current and former members of Temirov Live were detained amid a sweeping crackdown on dissent. Although seven of those arrested were acquitted, the convictions of the four prominent reporters have sent a chilling message to the wider media community.

Press freedom organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists, have denounced the verdicts as politically motivated. They argue that the charges were a retaliatory move aimed at silencing critical journalism, particularly investigations that exposed alleged high-level corruption. CPJ’s regional coordinator described the case as a targeted attempt to dismantle one of Kyrgyzstan’s most respected independent media outlets.

Temirov Live has previously come under pressure, including police raids, digital censorship, and the 2022 deportation of its founder, Bolot Temirov. The latest convictions reflect a broader trend of deteriorating press freedom in the country. Other outlets, including Kloop Media, have also faced legal threats and forced shutdowns, while foreign-funded NGOs are increasingly under regulatory attack.

The court’s decision cements a dangerous precedent in Kyrgyzstan’s democratic backslide. By criminalizing investigative journalism and equating it with public unrest, authorities have closed vital avenues of accountability. The convictions not only silence courageous journalists but also erode the public’s right to know, leaving the future of independent reporting in the country hanging in the balance.

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Kyrgyzstan court upholds convictions of 4 anti-corruption journalists