The Prosecutor’s Office of Oktyabrsky district filed a lawsuit to close April TV channel and revoke its broadcasting license. The channel’s Editor-in-Chief Dmitry Lozhnikov commented on the situation to 24.kg news agency.
He emphasized his commitment to the law and his readiness to defend his position.
«In any case, we are law-abiding citizens, we will comply with the court’s decision, whatever it may be, since it is a court decision. There are simply different instances — the second, third. If the Supreme Court makes a decision, we will comply with it,» the Editor-in-Chief of the TV channel noted.
At the same time, he added that the TV channel will continue to operate until the final verdict.
«The trial has not yet begun, and its date has not even been set. Therefore, we continue to work now, participate in the process and will prove our case. We are confident that the charges brought against us do not correspond to reality,» Dmitry Lozhnikov said.
He noted that criticism of the government is not a crime, but one of the key functions of the media. He emphasized that there are few independent media in Kyrgyzstan and someone must fulfill this role.
The Editor-in-Chief of April recalled that there are many state media outlets in the country that praise the government, so a balance is needed. He also expressed hope for a fair trial.
Earlier, the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office reported that the lawsuit was filed based on materials received from the State Committee for National Security and the conclusions of three expert agencies. The statement notes that the purpose of the appeal is to protect public safety and prevent the spread of illegal information.
