Asia News newspaper lost a case to the Vice Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Zhenish Razakov. Its Editor-in-Chief Aslanbek Sartbaev told 24.kg news agency.
The decision was made by the Oktyabrsky District Court. The presiding judge Chyngyz Adamkulov issued a ruling and recognized the article about Razakov, where he is called a Tajik spy, as discrediting the honor and dignity of the official.
«The court did not even listen to our arguments and ordered the newspaper to publish a refutation and pay 1 million soms to Zhenish Razakov. We believe that this decision is unreasonable, and we will appeal it to a higher court,» Aslanbek Sartbaev said.
Recall, the Deputy Prime Minister demanded from the newspaper 10 million soms.
In March, the State Committee for National Security conducted a check of incriminating media publications against the Deputy Prime Minister Zhenish Razakov. Pre-trial proceedings were instituted under the Article «Treason.» The official’s involvement in the special services of foreign states did not find confirmation.
