Rights Watchdog Says Kyrgyz Gov't Needs To Stop Oppression Of Independent Media

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th October, 2022) Kyrgyz authorities need to stop efforts aimed at censoring independent media in the country amid recent cases of crackdown on journalists, a prominent international human rights organization said on Friday.

Human Rights Watch cited the October 26 decision of the Kyrgyz government to block the websites of Azattyk Media, the Kyrgyz service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, for two months over a video on the recent border clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

This was the latest in a string of government crackdowns on media based on a law on protection from false information, the watchdog said.

It also said that the Kyrgyz government was planning to introduce liability for "abuse of freedom of speech" in amendments to a law on mass media.

"Authorities should immediately cease their attempts at controlling this fundamental human right by withdrawing the proposed amendments and uphold its commitment to respect all freedoms and human rights in the country," Syinat Sultanalieva, Central Asia Researcher at Human Rights Watch, said.

The draft amendments were proposed by the office of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in mid-September. They will be submitted to parliament after collecting public comments by the end of the month.