Artist Tatyana Zelenskaya supports the media with her new illustration

11:23, 18 января 2024, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Tatyana KUDRYAVTSEVA

Artist Tatyana Zelenskaya drew an illustration in support of detained journalists and called it «Scary Tales in the Land of the Setting Sun, a new chapter». She posted the illustration on Facebook.

«You can do your dirty deeds in the dark. A picture in support of journalists,» Tatyana Zelenskaya signed her work.

Employees of the State Committee for National Security also came to the office of 24.kg news agency on January 16 at about 11 a.m. General Director Asel Otorbaeva, Editors-in-Chief Anton Lymar and Makhinur Niyazova were taken for interrogation. Equipment and personal mobile phones of employees were confiscated.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. On January 17, the managers were summoned for questioning again. They have the status of witnesses in the case for the time being.

In addition, on January 16, the office of Temirov Live was searched and editorial equipment was confiscated. The police searched homes and detained 11 current and former employees of the media outlet.

Shortly after the searches began, the Interior Ministry issued a statement announcing that, as a result of «forensic linguistic examination» of content found on the social media pages of Temirov Live and Ait Ait Dese on December 30, criminal proceedings had been initiated against them under article 278, part 3 of the Criminal Code for «calling for riots.» Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy and Azamat Ishenbekov were charged under Articles 41 (part 2) and 278 (part 3) of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic — complicity in organizing mass riots. All 11 detained journalists were placed in the pretrial detention center 1 for two months — until March 13.