Daiyrbek Orunbekov comments on detention of Kloop employees

The head of the press service of the presidential administration Daiyrbek Orunbekov commented on the detention of employees of Kloop media outlet on social media.

According to him, investigative journalist Bolot Temirov, who is abroad, financed the young people with grants allocated by Western partners.

«He paid them money, forced them to conduct false investigations and worked with them on a special order. Each of them was paid from $500 to $800 monthly. These young people are former employees of the closed Kloop website. They are A. Erkebaeva (born in 1999), Z. Sydygalieva (born in 2000), Zh. Duulatov (born in 2002), A. Alexandrov (born in 1997) and Z. Bolot kyzy (born in 1999),» Daiyrbek Orunbekov wrote.

He noted that former and current media employees confessed to their illegal actions and the implementation of illegal instructions from Bolot Temirov and refused to cooperate with him.

«They said that they made false statements and carried out special orders directed against the state,» Daiyrbek Orunbekov wrote.

Five journalists working for Kloop media outlet were released the day before after interrogation at the State Committee for National Security. Camera operator Alexander Alexandrov and former employee of the media outlet Zhoomart Duulatov were placed in a temporary detention facility. A preventive measure will be be chosen for them within 48 hours.

It was reported earlier that a search was conducted in the home of Kloop journalist Ziyagul Bolot kyzy in Osh, after which she was taken in for interrogation. Later, it became known that Kloop camera operator Aleksandr Aleksandrov in Bishkek was also taken in for interrogation to the SCNS after search. Current journalist Aidai Erkebaeva and former employee of the media outlet Zara Sydygalieva, who quit in 2023, were taken in for interrogation after searches. In total, seven people were interrogated.

Ziyagul Bolot kyzy, Aidai Erkebaeva, Zara Sadygalieva and two other girls, who were brought in for questioning along with current and former journalists of the media outlet, were released on condition of signing a non-disclosure agreement.

In 2023, the prosecutor’s office filed a lawsuit to shut down Kloop Media Public Foundation. As a result of the trials, it was liquidated in 2024.