The international human rights organization Amnesty International responded to the detention and interrogation of Kloop staff in Kyrgyzstan.
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, believes that detention of Kloop journalists is yet another stark example of how Kyrgyzstan’s security apparatus is being used to crush dissent and dismantle independent journalism. In her opinion, these actions are clearly intended to intimidate critical voices.
«Detaining journalists for their work, denying access to legal counsel and carrying out warrantless searches of homes violates both Kyrgyzstan’s own legal obligations and international human rights standards. These arrests are part of a broader, intensifying campaign of harassment against media outlets that dare to report on corruption and abuse of power,» the statement says.
Recall, detention of six former and current employees of the media outlet was reported earlier.
Ziyagul Bolot kyzy, Aleksandr Aleksandrov, current Kloop journalist Aidai Erkebaeva, former Kloop employee Zara Sydygalieva, and former Kloop camera operator Zhoomart Duulatov were interrogated at the State Committee for National Security. It later became known that the girls were released, but the camera operator and former employee were detained for two days. According to the journalists’ lawyer Baktybek Avtandil uulu, Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Zhoomart Duulatov are suspected of calls for mass riots.
The State Committee for National Security has not yet provided official information about the reasons for the journalists’ detention.
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.