Watchdog

The chief editors of the Kyrgyz newspapers "Achyk Sayasat" (Open Politics) and "Nazar" (Attention) were questioned today by officials of the Prosecutor-General's Office about certain articles in their publications, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

"Achyk Sayasat" chief editor Babyrbek Jeenbekov told RFE/RL that no explanations were given as to why he and "Nazar" chief editor Kenjebek Arykbaev were summoned to the Prosecutor-General's Office.

He said they went to the office today and were questioned about articles about opposition activities that they had published in their newspapers.

Jeenbekov said the summons might be specifically connected to the newspapers’ publication of an address by his son, politician Ravshan Jeenbekov, to delegates of the National Assembly (Kurultai). Ravshan Jeenbekov is living in self-imposed exile in the United States.

The kurultai is scheduled to be held on March 17 by Kyrgyzstan's opposition parties and movements.

Freedom House says a decision by Kyrgyz authorities last week to block broadcasting and Internet access to U.S. government-funded news services underscores a "growing concern for freedom of expression in Kyrgyzstan."

RFE/RL's affiliate television station Echo of Manas halted programming on March 10 after what the U.S.-based rights watchdog said were government threats to terminate its broadcast license.

Four RFE/RL radio affiliates and two non-U.S. news websites, Centrasia.ru and Ferghana.ru, were also forced to shut down.

Freedom House said in a statement that "Kyrgyzstan once set the standard for tolerance, expression and democratic process in Central Asia."

It has called on the government to re-affirm its commitment to that standard.

With agency reports