The IPI global network today condemns the decision by a court in Bishkek to hand five-year prison sentences to camera operators Joomart Duulatov and Alexander Alexandrov, who were found guilty in the absence of any convincing evidence.
The media workers previously worked with Kloop, one of Kyrgyzstan’s leading independent media outlets, and were convicted for YouTube videos which they said they never produced. Two Kloop accountants, who were also defendants in the case, were sentenced to three years of probation.
Kyrgyz authorities accused Duulatov and Alexandrov of producing five videos published by Temirov Live, a Youtube channel run by exiled Kyrgyz journalist Bolot Temirov. Authorities claimed that the videos “incited (viewers) to organize mass riots”, which is a criminal offence in Kyrgyzstan, punishable by up to six years in prison.
As in previous cases of criminal persecution of journalists in Kyrgyzstan, investigators interpreted critical publications published by online media as an “incitement to mass riots”, despite the fact that none of these contained any appeals to violence whatsoever.
In the case of Duulatov and Alexandrov, investigators also insisted that the camera operators had produced the videos in question, and that Temirov allegedly finances Kloop and works together with the outlet, although all involved parties denied these facts.
At court hearings, Duulatov and Alexandrov also testified that while they had at first admitted their links with Temirov to investigators, they had actually been coerced into doing this through threats of imprisonment and with promises to ease the pre-trial restrictions which were imposed on them.
“By sentencing Duulatov and Alexandrov, Kyrgyz authorities have made yet another step towards total lawlessness in their fierce repression of the country’s independent media,” said IPI Eastern Europe Advocacy Lead Karol Łuczka. “Under likely influence by Kyrgyzstan’s political leadership, a court in Bishkek has sentenced two camera operators to five years in prison on completely unfounded charges.”
He added: “As in previous cases, Kyrgyz media workers were convicted for activities which are the basis of independent journalism: producing critical content which exposes corruption by high-level authorities. In this case, however, judges went even further and issued guilty verdicts despite lacking any evidence that those sentenced had any link whatsoever to the materials which they were found guilty of producing. This decision sets a dangerous precedent, bringing Kyrygzystan back to the worst traditions of sham trials.”
Kyrgyzstan has become increasingly repressive toward independent journalists and government critics since the election of President Sadyr Japarov in 2021. In February 2024, a court in Bishkek ordered the shutdown of Kloop claiming that its reporting “undermines trust in government institutions.” The outlet has since been blocked in Kyrgyzstan but continues publishing. Last year, 11 current and former staffers of Temirov Live were detained and prosecuted.
In 2024, Kloop was awarded the IPI-IMS Free Media Pioneer award for its fearless accountability journalism and dedication to fostering quality media and democratic ideals in Kyrgyzstan over nearly two decades. Founded in 2006, Kloop has grown into one of the most popular independent news sources in Kyrgyzstan, exposing high-level corruption.