The judge of the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek, having considered the case of Next TV director Taalai Duishenbiev, found him guilty and sentenced him to five years in prison.
However, the court placed him under probation supervision for three years and released from the courtroom. The prosecution asked to sentence the journalist to 7 years in prison.
According to the decision, Taalaibek Duishenbiev was banned from leaving the country. The journalist must also visit the probation authorities for three years.
The Next TV director was accused of inciting ethnic hatred for publication of the post of the ex-head of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan on the channel’s social media page. The latter argued that «Kyrgyzstan will send troops to Ukraine to participate in Russia’s military special operation.» The Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic refuted this statement.
On March 3, Taalaibek Duishenbiev was detained by employees of the State Committee for National Security. He was placed in remand center. The state prosecution requested seven years in prison for the journalist.
