«There is not and cannot be any intimidation. Is it possible to frighten our people with something?» the President of Kyrgyzstan said in an interview with Kabar state agency.
There is freedom of speech in Kyrgyzstan, it is and will be.
President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov
«The only thing is that we must comply with the laws regulating the media, this is primarily national security and so on. Today, it has become commonplace to shape public opinion through social media, which competes with traditional journalism. In such conditions, every citizen, whether he or she is a journalist or a blogger, must understand that, along with the desire to benefit society, he or she is responsible for every word they spread,» Sadyr Japarov said.
According to him, the authorities support quality investigative journalism.
«But in most cases, bloggers are engaged in distorting facts, making a mountain out of a molehill, or resorting to manipulation and misleading society. Their materials must be supported by facts, not speculation; they must contain information, not rumors. We are for diversity of opinions in society, but we are against the collapse of the state, that is, against freedom without responsibility. Our freedom must stand guard and protect the interests of Kyrgyzstan,» he concluded.
Employees of the State Committee for National Security 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.
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.
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.»
All detainees were arrested on January 17 until the end of investigation by court decision.
Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy, Sapar Akunbekov, Azamat Ishenbekov, Saipidin Sultanaliev, Aktilek Kaparov, Tynystan Asypbekov, Maksat Tazhibek uulu, Zhoodar Buzumov, Zhumabek Turdaliev, Aike Beishekeeva and Akyl Orozbekov will be kept in Bishkek pretrial detention center 1 until March 13. All of them are former or current employees of Temirov Live.
