Affiliated media: Radio Azattyk, Kyrgyzstan service of Radio Liberty

Incident date: June 2, 2020

Attack type:

• Defamation, spreading libel about a media worker or media outlet

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Radio Azattyk

Location: Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek

Additional information:

State Committee for National Security accuses investigative journalists from Azattyk radio in attempt of bribery. It was announced by Sagunbek Samidin uulu, deputy head of the State Committee for National Security, during his speech on 2 June 2020. MPs are looking into the murder of Chinese businessman Airken Saimaiti who was shot in Istanbul. The businessman had been an important source of information regarding the contraband and corruption at the Kyrgyz customs. The investigation caused a public reaction; the Prosecutor’s office launched a criminal case based on reporters’ investigations. The representative from the State Committee for National Security claimed that Saimaiti paid the journalists from the Azattyk radio $100 thousand for cooperation. Jamie Fly, the head of “Radio Freedom” called the prosecution’s claim “blackening of the journalists’ names”.