Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty President and CEO Jamie Fly commented on the lawsuit filed by the Ministry of Culture of Kyrgyzstan to terminate Azattyk’s activities as a media outlet.
According to him, the corporation will use all available legal means to continue the activities of the institution in the country.
«We reject the ongoing illegal attacks on Azattyk and our independent reporting. We will continue to serve our dedicated Kyrgyz audience, no matter what actions the government of Kyrgyzstan takes,» said Jamie Fly.
It became known that the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy filed a lawsuit with the Leninsky District Court of Bishkek to terminate the activities of Azattyk Media as a media outlet.
On October 27, the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan announced that it had suspended the operation of Radio Azattyk website for two months. The ministry noted that on September 16, the Current Time resource (subordinate structure of Azattyk Media) published a video entitled «Heavy fighting on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan», in which «elements of hate speech, unconfirmed information about the alleged attack by the Kyrgyz side on Tajikistan were used, as well as information that aggravates the situation in society and causes hatred, discrimination and division among citizens when covering events in Batken region.»
In a statement issued the same day, RFE/RL President Jamie Fly said the broadcaster had reviewed the content in question and found «no violation of standards.»