The Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan upheld the decision of the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek to recognize the Next TV publication as extremist. It was announced at the hearing.
Thus, the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office to stop the broadcasting of the Next TV channel in Kyrgyzstan was partially granted.
The court denied the petition to shut the Next TV channel down and ban distribution of content on other resources.
On March 3, the director of Next TV Taalai Duishenbiev was detained and placed in the remand prison of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) for two months under Article 330 "Incitement of racial, ethnic, national, religious and inter-regional hatred (discord). According to the investigation, the TV channel, using resources on social media, disseminated false information about the alleged agreement on provision of military assistance by Kyrgyzstan to Russia during a special operation on the territory of Ukraine. The media cited the former head of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan as the source.
The Investigative Journalism Foundation calls to end pressure on the media. The Ombudsman asks the SCNS and the judiciary to respect the freedom of journalists.
