Kyrgyzstan: Editor-In-Chief Dilbar Alimova Summoned Over Coverage Of Authorities

Location: Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek
Date: May 17, 2023

Photo Credit: PolitKlinika

Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) summoned PolitKlinika editor-in-Chief Dilbar Alimova for questioning over their reporting on the speaker of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament and the prosecutor-general. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns Kyrgyzstan for intimidating media to stifle free and independent reporting.

Editor-in-chief of PolitKlinika, Dilbar Alimova, an investigative and fact-checking media outlet, was summoned by Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) for questioning on May 16. SCNS inquired how the outlet had obtained a letter from the speaker of parliament addressed to the attorney-general. 

In an article published by the outlet the day prior to the questioning, the newsroom referred to a letter allegedly signed by the speaker of parliament asking the attorney-general to acquit exiled former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev. The former president was sentenced in 2013 in absentia to 24 years for abuse of power.

The speaker’s press secretary discredited the article calling the letter "fake," and threatened to shut down PolitKlinika's operations. 

Alimova told CPJ that the speaker of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament and the head of the SCNS are close associates. 

PolitKlinika agreed to remove the article temporarily while they seek a response from the prosecutor’s office to the letter.

“We, as a free media, will continue to protect people's right to information through our journalistic materials based on international standards,” their statement reads. 

Other legal harassment cases against PolitKlinika 

On February 20, 2023, PolitKlinika was sued for 10 million som (US$115,000) by state-affiliated broadcaster EITR over a video report claiming they had falsely reported on government borrowing. EITR seeks damages for “undermining the reputation of the channel and its staff.” The lawsuit and the sum demanded could be detrimental to PolitKlinika’s activities. 

Press freedom status in Kyrgyzstan

Although media freedom in Kyrgyzstan is relatively less censored than in most countries in Central Asia, the government has tightened its grip on independent media in the last year, ranking the country 122nd out of 180, as reported by RSF. This is a significant drop from its 72nd position in 2022. 

On April.23, 2023, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s local service Radio Azattyk was forced to terminate operations by Kyrgyz authorities. 

On February 6, 2023, the general director of 24.kg, Asel Otorbayeva, was summoned for questioning and interrogated for two hours over comments left on one of the outlet's posts.  

On March 2, 2023, 24.kg editor-in-chief Anastasia Mokrenko was interrogated by SCNS about a bomb threat in the RedCentre shopping center. An anonymous letter was sent to the outlet notifying them of the planted explosive device, which later turned out to be a false alarm. 

Dilbar Alimova is a Kyrgyz journalist and the editor-in-chief of PolitKlinika. She has extensively covered the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan, including unemployment, infrastructure, and economic development. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with Dilbar Alimova. We condemn the intimidation tactics used by Kyrgyz authorities to silence journalists. Kyrgyzstan’s government must ensure media freedom and support dissemination of information as a vital component of democracy. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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