On July 12, the Bishkek City Court approved a settlement agreement between the Ministry of Culture of Kyrgyzstan and "Azattyk Media," overturning the decision to close the publication, Gazeta.uz has reported with refernce to the website of Radio Azattyk, the Kyrgyz branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
The Azattyk website remains inaccessible in Uzbekistan.
The publication stated that the video, which was the reason for the lawsuit, is no longer available on RFE/RL websites due to changes in content storage protocols within the media corporation's resources, as materials are not stored indefinitely.
"In light of the court's decision to approve the settlement agreement, the Ministry [of Culture] will send a letter to the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic requesting the resumption of Azattyk's website," the publication's statement noted.
The Ministry of Culture of Kyrgyzstan, on the other hand, claimed that Azattyk Media "has removed the video material from all its resources" regarding the conflict on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, which prompted the ministry to take legal action against the publication.
The basis for the Ministry of Culture's lawsuit was the broadcast of the "Nastoyashee Vremya" (Current Time) channel (part of the RFE/RL holding) on September 16, 2022, titled "Intense Fighting on the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Border." According to the Ministry of Culture, the material contained "inaccurate information" and was "contrary to the national interests" of Kyrgyzstan.
For reference: In September 2022, a military conflict occurred on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, resulting in a total of 94 deaths and over 150 injuries. Both sides accused each other of initiating the attack.
In March, Human Rights Watch released a report stating that the forces of both countries were involved in the killing and injuring of civilians, and their actions could be considered war crimes.
In their report for "Current Time," journalists used sources from both sides of the conflict and gave voice to people in Tajikistan, according to BBC.
In late October 2022, the Ministry of Culture suspended Azattyk's website for two months after the publication refused to remove the video material. The ministry claimed that the material contained "unsubstantiated information about the alleged attack by the Kyrgyz side on Tajikistan," which "incited hatred, discrimination, and division among citizens." Azattyk Media's accounts were blocked at the request of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan.
In December, the Ministry of Culture decided to extend the block on Azattyk until the publication removed the material. In January, the ministry filed a lawsuit against Azattyk Media, seeking to shut down the organization.
In April, the Leninsky District Court of Bishkek ruled in favor of the Ministry of Culture's lawsuit to cease Azattyk's activities as a media outlet.
Amnesty International described the closure of Azattyk as a "serious blow to freedom of speech" in Kyrgyzstan.
"The Kyrgyz authorities' claim that the video published by Radio Azattyk promotes hatred was merely a false pretext to close an independent media outlet," said Mari Strazer, the Director of Amnesty International's Eastern Europe and Central Asia Office, at the time.
The Committee to Protect Journalists stated that the closure of Azattyk sends a "chilling signal to independent media in the country and raises serious questions about the direction Kyrgyz authorities want to take their country."
The press secretary of the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, Erbol Sultanbaev, stated that the settlement agreement between Azattyk Media and the Ministry of Culture "once again demonstrates that no one in the country intends to infringe upon freedom of speech or discriminate against any media outlet."
According to Erbol Sultanbaev, a letter was received by Japarov from the new CEO of RFE/RL, Jeffrey Gedmin, informing that the material on the border conflict is no longer accessible.
Sultanbaev added that "everyone without exception should comply with the country's laws prohibiting the dissemination of false information." He further stated, "I have always said, and I will repeat it — freedom of speech has existed, exists, and will continue to exist for us."
The US Embassy in Kyrgyzstan also commented on the court's decision to dismiss the case against Azattyk Media.
"The resumption of Azattyk's activities is important for press freedom and is a step in the right direction to ensure that all voices are heard in the Kyrgyz Republic," the embassy's statement said.
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Threads pages to keep up to date on world news.
Comments (0)