14:49, 31 января 2023, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Aida DZHUMASHOVA
The Prosecutor General of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmankul Zulushev, was asked to comment on the situation around Radio Azattyk at a press conference.
The head of the supervisory authority noted that the prosecutor’s office is not one of the parties in this case.
«If we receive an appeal on the facts of illegal decisions, we will consider it and give an assessment,» Kurmankul Zulushev said.
The Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan filed a lawsuit with the Leninsky District Court of Bishkek to terminate the activities of Azattyk Media institution 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.»
Kyrgyzstan’s media community has expressed its concern over the Kyrgyz government’s continued harassment of independent journalists and attempts to restrict media freedom, saying that the ministry should withdraw the lawsuit.
As the human rights activists note, Kyrgyz authorities have recently increased efforts to control and censor mass media amid a continued crackdown on freedom of expression and civil society.