Kyrgyzstan: journalists are threatened because of criticism of constitutional reform
The Media Policy Institute in Kyrgyzstan issued an urgent appeal stating that the republic’s media community is extremely concerned about the new large-scale threat to press freedom in connection with the persecution of Kyrgyz journalists and activists on the Internet.
“We believe that such actions are aimed at suppressing the alternative opinion in the country and seriously undermine our democracy,” the authors of the document say.
It is noted that over the past year, more and more journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan have been subjected to massive online attacks with threats of violence. Such attacks are especially frequent against female journalists.
“According to the experience of other countries, this form of persecution can be either ordinary “hating” (a feeling of hatred towards any person), or a real invasion of paid “armies of trolls”, in which online mercenaries, affiliated with political and government structures, take part. Online threats of violence can often develop into threats to the physical safety of journalists. Therefore, online attacks often have, and are often accompanied by, similar consequences to attacks on the street. Therefore, we take them seriously as a real threat to freedom of expression,” the experts write.
In 2019, online attacks on journalists in Kyrgyzstan were caused by their investigations of corruption at Kyrgyz customs. In September this year, online attacks on journalists were continued due to the upcoming parliamentary elections and because of critical materials about parties and their leaders.
“Now the harassment of Kyrgyz journalists and activists on the Internet has become even more massive and aggressive, including threats of physical violence and attacks. The reason for attacks against journalists is criticism of the new edition of the Constitution or informing the public about the procedural violations committed regarding the process of introducing amendments to the Constitution,” the appeal states.
In recent days, the journalists Kanyshai Mamyrkulova, Aizada Kasmalieva, Nazira Aitbekova, the presidential candidate Klara Sooronkulova, the lawyer Saniya Toktogazieva and others have been subjected to massive online prosecution in the republic for criticizing the new version of the Constitution. Journalists and activists are subjected to personal threats, intimidation, insults, and discrediting so that they stop talking freely about the events taking place in the country and express their opinion.
“It should be emphasized that some politicians play an incentive role in persecuting journalists online: either by directly provoking or not condemning such attacks, and thus contributing to the creation of a general atmosphere of impunity. In this regard, we urge that political leaders not only refrain from insulting journalists and other citizens who legitimately exercise their constitutional rights and express their opinions, but also publicly and unconditionally condemn such online threats and attacks on journalists and activists by their supporters,” the authors of the document urge.
They believe that all political forces, in order to create a truly law-based state that observes universally recognized principles of human rights, must strictly follow the requirements of the Constitution, the norms of international law and provide an opportunity for all citizens to freely express their views on political processes in the country within the framework of respect for the rights of others. In turn, law enforcement agencies should be involved in investigating cases concerning online attacks on journalists.
ACCA asked Bolot Temirov, editor-in-chief of Factcheck.kg, for his comment.
“There have always been tactics of intimidating the media. We have seen attacks on journalists before, and they continue now. Moreover, after the events of October 5, they intensified and even reached a new level. If earlier online threats were received by journalists from fake accounts, now the aggressors record video messages without hiding their identity. This means that they feel their complete impunity,” Temirov said.
He believes that the authorities should give a clear signal to the persecutors that such actions are unacceptable and punishable. Otherwise, it is possible that there will be a transition from online violence to physical violence against media workers.
“It is bad not only the lack of an adequate reaction of the authorities to what is happening, but also the fact that influential politicians actually point out to their supporters the victim, naming media, active journalists who are out of favor,” the media expert notes.
At the beginning of 2020, Bolot Temirov also became a victim of an attack because of his professional activities. On January 9, in the afternoon in the center of Bishkek, three unknown persons near the editorial office, in the courtyard of a multi-story building, beat him and took his cell phone. Temirov believes he was attacked because of Factchech.kg investigation concerning the spending of the wife of Raiymbek Matraimov, the former deputy chairman of the Kyrgyz customs.
