The U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan commented on the decision of the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan in the case against the investigative journalist Bolot Temirov. The statement was published on X (Twitter).
«Disappointed by the Kyrgyz Supreme Court’s decision to deny investigative journalist Bolot Temirov’s appeals. Members of the free media are vital to fighting corruption — they must be protected, not punished. The U.S. remains committed to protecting press freedom, and supporting independent media in the Kyrgyz Republic,» the statement says.
The Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan considered the appeal of lawyers of journalist Bolot Temirov.
Earlier, the defense asked to acquit him for lack of corpus delicti. The prosecutor demanded to uphold the decisions of previous instances.
Leaving the deliberation room, the judicial board read out the decision, according to which the sentences against Bolot Temirov remained in force.
The journalist Bolot Temirov was expelled from the republic on November 23, 2022 by a court decision. Immediately after the trial, where the verdict was announced, he was taken by force, accompanied by law enforcement officers, to the airport and sent by plane to Russia.
Earlier, the Sverdlovsky District Court acquitted the journalist on two counts. The case was dismissed due to the expiration of the statute of limitations on two more counts, including on a fake passport. The court did not apply punishment to him.
At the same time, a number of lawyers proved that the expulsion of Bolot Temirov took place with gross violations of laws and the Constitution.
