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Kyrgyzstan to host Freedom Forum

Forum on freedom will be held in Kyrgyzstan this week. The Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression reported.

According to it, the reason for the forum is the pressure on some media.

As the committee states, «the only fact of positive achievement of Kyrgyzstan in comparison with neighboring countries for all the years of independence was relative freedom of speech in the region.

«Public TV channels KTR and ElTR, independent Pyatiy Kanal and Pyramid are under the supervision of the White House. Private OshTV, Sedmoy Kanal and Vecherniy Bishkek took the side of power through raiding," the document says.

According to NGO, cases of attacks on journalists — Bulat Satarkulov, Darya Podolskaya, Turat Akimov, Shaiyrbek Mamatoktorov, Aslanbek Sartbaev, Amantur Musagulov are not resolved. Adilet Aitikeev was forced to leave the country because of threats.

As NGO notes, in recent years, pressure in social networks is increasing.

«Resident of Issyk-Kul region Joomart Zhamgyrchiev said that the State Committee for National Security officers interrogated him because of his «involvement» in posting on satirical page «MURCH» on Facebook, the visually impaired Temirlan Ormukov was summoned to the Prosecutor General’s Office for interrogation for the verses published in social networks," the statement says.

According to the committee, in the past two years there have been more cases of pressure on journalists by persons from the authorities' circle. Based on the statement of one of close to the president people, two houses of journalist Uran Botobekov were arrested. He could not withstand the pressure and left Kyrgyzstan.

In its statement, the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression cites facts of litigation with journalists Daiyr Orunbekov, Zulpukar Sapanov, civil activists Mavlyan Askarbekov, Adil Turdukulov.

«The last detention of politician Tekebayev, lawsuits for a huge sum against Rita Karasartova, as well as against 24.kg, Zanoza and Azattyk, expelling of journalist Grigory Mikhailov from the country is an indication that the authorities no longer feel the ground under their feet and have unacceptable for the authorities notes of hysteria," the committee said. It stated that it would not allow «pressure on freedom of speech, on the right of citizens to freely express their will and freedom of assembly.»

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