“The previously dismissed case against the correspondent of radio “Svoboda” [“Liberty”] Idris Isakov will be reopened,” the Press service of the Osh City Department of Internal Affairs reported.
Recall that on April 4 of this year, a resident of Osh appealed to the DIA of Osh. He accused journalist Idris Isakov of extortion. However, due to lack of evidence, the case was dismissed.
However, on September 30, the resident of Osh again contacted the Department of Internal Affairs with a statement that the correspondent of radio “Svoboda”, Idris Isakov, extorted a large sum from him, allegedly so that Isakov would not publish any incriminating information on the Internet.
“Isakov demanded $5000 or give him Lexus, otherwise he threatens to post material against me on the Internet,” the applicant said.
This time he brought two witnesses who confirmed this information. Based on the foregoing, this fact was registered in the Register of crimes and misconduct.
The journalist called the accusations slander. According to him, the case against him was fabricated by the police colonel of the DIA of Osh at the request of the businessman Zhalil Atambaev. The motive was Isakov’s journalistic investigation, which shows the facts of tax concealment by the businessman. The article became the reason for initiating a criminal case against Zhalil Atambaev.
“If the boss says to find any reason and write a statement, how can he refuse? Therefore, do not scold the person who stated that Idris demanded money. Just understand him,” Isakov wrote on his page.
The day after the appearance of the journalist’s post on Facebook, unknown people distributed an audio recording on social networks, allegedly extorting the correspondent of radio “Svoboda”. This was announced to ACCA by the chairman of the board of NGO “Journalists” Mars Tulegenov.
“I listened to the recording and I can say that there is no word about extortion. In addition, the fact that on the record is really Idris Isakov still needs to be proved, the relevant examinations should be carried out. For our part, we will monitor the situation and take control. I know that the Institute of Media Policy provides legal support to Isakov,” said Mars Tulegenov.
According to media representative Akhmat Alagushev, renewed case against Idris Isakov raises many questions.
“In May, the case against the journalist was dismissed due to lack of evidence, lack of corpus delicti. On September 30, the same person who filed the application in April writes a complaint and, on this basis, the case was reopened. In fact, everything should have been different: a person who does not agree with the resolution of the investigation should contact the Prosecutor’s office, that is, the supervisory authority. They had to check the validity of the decision to dismiss the case, and decide whether it was lawfully adopted or not. For me it is already incomprehensible that the investigating authority itself resumes the case. What are the points? Again, before that, the investigating authority had not carried out investigative actions, had not questioned the parties. This is already raising a lot of questions,” Akhmat Alagushev commented on ACCA.
According to him, the lawyer in Osh is engaged in the case of Idris Isakov. The Media Policy Institute will support Isakov and adjust the line of defense with his lawyer.
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