Kloop Media shutdown: Lawyers file two lawsuits against Ministry of Culture

17:06, 16 ноября 2023, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Maria ORLOVA

Kloop lawyers have filed two lawsuits against the Ministry of Culture of Kyrgyzstan. The media outlet reported on its Telegram channel.

The first lawsuit is related to the demand to cancel two decisions of the Ministry of Culture dated September 7 and September 8, in which the ministry demanded to remove allegedly inaccurate information from the website under the headline «Politician Ravshan Dzheenbekov said he was tortured in the pre-trial detention center 1» at the request of the State Committee for National Security.

The second lawsuit is related to the October 9 decision of the Ministry of Culture, which blocked the Russian version of Kloop.kg. Later it blocked the Kyrgyz-language version of the website as well.

In the lawsuits, Kloop asks the court to completely cancel the decisions of the Ministry of Culture and recognize them as invalid.

It was reported on August 28 that Bishkek prosecutor Emilbek Abdymanapov filed a lawsuit in court to liquidate Kloop.Media public foundation.

The lawsuit, in particular, states that «most of the publications are of a negative nature, aimed at discrediting representatives of state and municipal bodies», «Kloop.Media publications contain hidden manipulations of the opinion of the society, which are imposed negative processes that do not correspond to reality, and create opposition to any undertakings of the current government».

The prosecutor cites several headlines and materials from Kloop.kg, which, according to the oversight body, are sharply critical of the government.

The prosecutor’s office also accuses the public foundation of concealing a large amount of funds.