The Ombudsman of Kyrgyzstan calls on the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) and the judiciary to respect the freedom of the media guaranteed by the Constitution. Press service of the Ombudsman reported.
According to it, freedom of speech is the main asset of the country during the years of independence, recognized, among other things, by the international community and development partners.
Freedom of opinion and freedom of expression, freedom of the media are guaranteed by the Constitution, strict observance of which is a fundamental indicator of a free, legal, democratic state.
The Ombudsman expresses concern about the haste of actions taken by law enforcement agencies in relation to the Next TV channel, and calls for decisions regarding journalists to be guided by constitutional guarantees of freedom of the media. The judicial authorities are also asked to give a legal assessment of the legality, proportionality and necessity of the measures taken and planned in relation to the Next TV channel and to take into account all the circumstances of the case when resolving the issue of choosing a preventive measure.
Earlier, the SCNS made a statement that a criminal case had been initiated against the Next TV channel for inciting ethnic hatred. It is clarified that the TV channel, using resources on social media, is spreading false information about an allegedly reached agreement on the provision of military assistance by Kyrgyzstan to Russia during a special operation on the territory of Ukraine. The media referred to the former head of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan as a source of information.
