Trail of the lawsuit of the Matraimovs against three media outlets — 24.kg news agency, Kloop, Azattyk — and a journalist Ali Toktakunov started today in the Sverdlovsky District Court of Bishkek. Judge Zhyldyz Ibraimova chairs the trial.
Representative of the defendant 24.kg news agency Emil Zhandaev stated that the news agency did not conduct an investigation, but merely republished the materials of Kloop and Azattyk. In this regard, 24.kg news agency is ready to listen to the plaintiff’s proposals for a peaceful settlement of the dispute.
The court adjourned the trial to January 29.
The plaintiffs are the deputy of the Parliament Iskender Matraimov, his wife Minovar Dzhumaeva, the former deputy head of the Customs Service Raimbek Matraimov, his wife Uulkan Turgunova, as well as Ismail Matraimov’s Fund Public Foundation. The claims for protection of honor and dignity amounted to: 22.5 million soms to Azattyk, 10 million — to journalist Ali Toktakunov, 12.5 million — to Kloop, 15 million — to 24.kg news agency.
Recall, preliminary hearing of the case took place on December 19. The judge did not grant two motions of the Matraimovs’ lawyers. They requested to ban publication of some excerpts from the journalistic investigation of Azattyk and Kloop, as well as to voice the names of all the journalists, who conducted this investigation. The court rejected the both motions.
However, the presiding judge granted the request of the Matraimovs’ representatives to ban photo and video filming of the hearing.
