Relatives of 11 detained journalists came to the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and appealed to the President of the country.
They ask Sadyr Japarov to release the media representatives from custody. According to them, the detainees are true patriots of their republic.
«Information that they fulfilled an order of the West is discussed on social media, but this is an absolute lie. For example, in order to buy housing, my husband went to Russia to earn money,» Saipidin Sultanaliyev’s wife told.
Those gathered are worried about their relatives, because for 10 days they do not know what is happening to them and what conditions they are kept in.
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.» 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.
