The Penitentiary Service of Kyrgyzstan commented on a letter from detained investigative journalist Aktilek Kaparov, written from the detention center No. 1.
In his appeal, Kaparov noted that he had been illegally kept under detention for the fifth month and demanded immediate release and termination of criminal prosecution. «I am against all this lawlessness that these people are doing to me, and I cut my hands!» the journalist stated.
The Penitentiary Service noted: the accused Aktilek Kaparov said during the conversation that on May 28, before entering the courtroom, he scratched his hands with a pen.
«He also said that he had no claims to the staff of the institution and the conditions of detention. He refused to write an explanatory note and undergo a medical examination. The employees of the detention center drew up a corresponding act,» the service told.
On May 30, representatives of the Ombudsman’s Institute and the National Center for Prevention of Torture talked to the journalist. The fact was registered in the information log. The materials were transferred to the prosecutor’s office of Pervomaisky district of Bishkek.
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 were detained.
All of them are former or current employees of Temirov Live. All 11 detained journalists were arrested for two months.
Later, the court placed some of the detained journalists under house arrest and released under a written undertaking not to leave the city.
Investigative journalist Bolot Temirov reported that his wife and her other cellmates were beaten in Bishkek pre-trial detention center 1. Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy wrote a statement, in which she describes how she was subjected to abuse by the warder Aiperi Dzhekshenova.
The Penitentiary Service denied the fact of beating. They said that Makhabat’s cellmate was going to be transferred to another cell, but the women objected to it and argued with the staff of the state service.
