Kyrgyzstan: the office of the only TV channel in Talas was set on fire

In the morning, on June 7, unidentified persons set fire to the office of the only TV company in Talas region, Channel 3. According to the owner of the channel, the arson was carried out using Molotov cocktail, which the attackers threw into the company’s office through a window previously broken by a brick.

 It was reported that the equipment for broadcasting was completely burned out. The total amount of damage is $15 000.

“The fact that Molotov cocktail was planted in the editorial office indicates that the attackers pursued a specific goal – damage or destruction of the property of the only TV channel. A private media office has been attacked, and the task of law enforcement agencies is to quickly identify all persons involved in this crime,” the public organization “Journalists” commented on what happened.

This fact was registered in the Unified Register of Crimes and Misconduct. Investigative measures are currently underway. However, the association doubts that the perpetrators will be punished.

“This is not the first time that not only the opportunity to carry out their activities freely and unhindered is threatened, but also the safety of journalists, property of private media. On the night of March 3, unidentified men forced the door of the editorial office “PolitClinik” and stole journalists’ records and a hard disk. The editors filed a complaint with Pervomaisky District Police department of Bishkek, presented recordings from a security camera. However, so far, law enforcement agencies haven’t carried out the necessary investigative measures to identify the persons involved in the affair,” added the public association “Journalists”.

In this connection, the journalistic community called on the country’s leadership and internal affairs bodies to take personal control of the above cases and ensure prompt, impartial, careful and independent investigation.