Kyrgyz Investigative Journalists Jailed As Media Crackdown Continues

Two journalists from the Kyrgyz anti-corruption investigative group Temirov Live have been sentenced to prison after being found guilty on charges that their supporters and media watchdogs say are politically motivated.

A court in Bishkek on October 10 sentenced Makhabat Tajibek-kyzy to six years in prison and Azamat Ishenbekov to five years after they were found guilty of "creating an organized criminal group" and "calling for mass riots."

Tajibek-kyzy is the wife of the group's founder, Bolot Temirov.

The court also sentenced Aktilek Kaparov and Aike Beishekeeva to three years of probation on the same charges.

Seven other current and former members of Temirov Live -- Maksat Tajibek-uulu, Akyl Orozbekov, Jumabek Turdaliev, Joodar Buzumov, Saparbek Akunbekov, Saipidin Sultanaliev, and Tynystan Asypbekov -- were acquitted.

The 11 journalists went on trial on June 7 amid calls from domestic and international rights groups for all charges to be dropped and for them to be released immediately.

Last month, one of the journalists on trial, Aike Beishekeeva, was named as the winner of the Gratias Tibi award of the Prague-based Clovek v Tisni (People In Need) rights group.

The annual award is given to people younger than 30 for their contributions to defending human rights worldwide.

Bolot Temirov was deported to Russia in November 2022 after a court ruled that he obtained Kyrgyz citizenship illegally.

Temirov, who held Kyrgyz and Russian passports, rejected the accusation and insisted the probe against him was launched after he published an investigation suggesting corruption among top Kyrgyz officials.

Kyrgyzstan's free press and civil society have traditionally been the most vibrant in Central Asia, but that has changed amid an intensifying government crackdown.

In early April, President Sadyr Japarov signed into law a controversial bill that allows authorities to register organizations as "foreign representatives," which critics say mirrors a repressive Russian law on "foreign agents" that Moscow uses to muzzle independent journalism and NGOs.