The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns a lawsuit filed by Kyrgyz prosecutors against independent broadcaster April TV over alleged «negative» and «destructive» coverage of the government.
«Kyrgyz authorities continue a deplorable pattern of shuttering news outlets on illegitimate grounds that their ‘negative’ reporting could spark unrest,» said CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia Senior Researcher Anna Brakha. «In a democratic society, critical news coverage is not a grounds to shutter media. Kyrgyz authorities must allow Aprel TV to operate freely.»
According to the prosecutors’ filing, reviewed by CPJ, authorities seek to close down April TV by revoking its broadcast license and terminating its social media operations on the basis of an investigation by the State Committee for National Security.
The filing alleges that the outlet’s critical reporting portrays the authorities «in an unfavorable light» and «undermines the authority of the government,» which «could subsequently be aggravated [by] other social or global triggers and provoke calls for mass unrest with the aim of a subsequent seizure of power.»
In its statement, April TV channel rejected the accusations, emphasizing that it welcomes the efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat destructive activity, but at the same time recalling that freedom of speech and criticism of the authorities are the foundation of a democratic society.
The prosecutor’s office of Oktyabrsky district filed a lawsuit to close April TV channel.
