The search in the office of 24.kg news agency was conducted in violation of the law. Cholpon Dzhakupova, head of Adilet Legal Clinic, said.
«Our lawyer, who arrived at the office first, was not allowed inside. At that time, when the search had just begun. Then we went to the SCNS, again they did not let us in. In general, both of these cases, when a lawyer officially introduces himself, shows his warrant to represent his client, and the head of the investigation team refuses him, it is a gross violation not only of the rights of our clients — 24.kg news agency, but also of the rights of lawyers. In the first case, it is a denial of access to fair justice. A person has the right to defense, and at any stage. We don’t know what happened there, on the basis of what case, we don’t know whether the seizure was made, what was seized, on what grounds,» she said.
Cholpon Dzhakupova added that so far she can only comment on the search, as no other information has been provided to them.
Employees of the State Committee for National Security came to the office of 24.kg news agency today at about 11 a.m. They seized computers, laptops, electronic media, as well as other material evidence relevant to the criminal case. At present, operational and investigative measures are being carried out. General Director Asel Otorbaeva, Editors-in-Chief Anton Lymar and Makhinur Niyazova were taken for interrogation. The SCNS said that the search at 24.kg news agency was conducted as part of a criminal case under the article «Propaganda of War» of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic.
