Lawyers for prominent Kyrgyz investigative journalist Bolot Temirov said they will the appeal to the Supreme Court a lower court's decision to deport the reporter to Russia after finding him guilty of illegally obtaining a Kyrgyz passport.
"We will file an appeal to the Supreme Court next week and ask it to overturn the wrongful ruling by the Bishkek City Court," defense lawyer Bakytbek Avtandil-uulu told RFE/RL on November 25.
"The case against Temirov is clearly politically motivated," he added.
Temirov, who has extensively reported about corruption among government officials in Kyrgyzstan, was deported to Moscow within hours of the ruling on November 23. His lawyers said that immediately after the decision was pronounced, Temirov was detained by men in civilian clothes and forcibly escorted from the courtroom.
Speaking to RFE/RL by telephone from Moscow on November 24, Temirov, 43, said he was treated as a "criminal" by officers who took him to Bishkek's Manas International Airport. He described being hurriedly flown to Moscow without any documents.
SEE ALSO: Journalist In Moscow After UN Envoy, Rights Groups, Embassies Decry Kyrgyz Deportation OrderThe journalist said he was staying with his mother and relatives in Moscow and needed time to familiarize himself with Russian law following his arrival in a country he hadn't been in for seven years.
The court's decision to deport Temirov has been condemned by a UN rights envoy, press freedom defenders, and Western governments.
The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek tweeted that the ruling "disregards democratic principles."
"Journalists should be allowed to work without fear of retaliation," it said. "Freedom of expression is protected under the Kyrgyz Constitution -- these rights must be upheld."
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said he was "dismayed" by the decision and urged Kyrgyzstan to maintain its "vibrant civil society" and avoid "staining" its reputation with "attempts to stifle freedom of expression."
The EU's office said it was "deeply concerned" by the verdict and Temirov's "harsh immediate detention."
SEE ALSO: Analysis: What Are The Red Lines For The Media In Central Asia?"This action goes counter to Kyrgyzstan's international commitments on independent media, freedom of speech and guaranteeing the personal safety of investigative journalists," it said.
Temirov maintains his innocence and says criminal charges were brought against him after he published the results of his investigation suggesting corruption among top officials of the Central Asian nation.
Kyrgyz authorities have denied that probes against Temirov are politically motivated.
Earlier this month, Temirov was shortlisted for the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Awards 2022.
Temirov was among 12 people recognized by the U.S. State Department last year as anticorruption champions.