The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published a statement Wednesday protesting against the signing by Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov of new amendments to the Kyrgyz Code that impose administrative penalties on individuals and entities that publish “false or unreliable” information.
The most recent amendments to the Kyrgyz Code signed by President Japarov on July 8 “establish fines of 20,000 soms (US$230) for individuals, and 65,000 soms (US$740) against outlets found to have violated the law.” They are the most recent in a series of restrictive measures passed by the Kyrgyzstan parliament.
On June 25, the parliament passed a law that allows the government to determine which individuals and outlets are allowed to publish news. While Japarov has not yet reviewed the law, human rights organizations are urging the president to veto it to protect the freedom of the press and the rights of citizens. Human Rights Watch published a statement in conjunction with 10 other human rights organizations on July 4, urging President Japarov to veto the bill. The statement called the June 25 law “draconian.” It urged “Kyrgyzstani authorities to drop all charges, vacate convictions, and release from custody all those imprisoned in retaliation for their critical speech and opinions.”
One of the journalists reprimanded for “negative and destructive” news content was Aprel TV, an independent broadcaster that publishes content related to the Kyrgyz government. He was liquidated by the Kyrgyzstan court on July 9, causing international outrage.
In a country plagued by repeated political revolutions since its independence in 1991, the media have become politicized. Political candidates use different outlets to spread their campaigns, and citizens turn to news outlets to gain information about the political landscape and developments. Journalists fear that the swift changes to press rights will allow the Kyrgyzstan government to fine news outlets without appropriate judicial review, restricting access to unbiased media for Kyrgyzstan citizens.
