Case Circumstances
On January 16, 2024, a series of mass arrests took place in Kyrgyzstan, during which 11 participants of journalistic initiatives were detained, including projects Temirov Live and "Ait, ait dese." They were accused of "calls for mass unrest" based on their professional activities.On October 10, 2024, the Lenin District Court of Bishkek issued a verdict, according to which Mahabat Tajibek kyzy, head of Temirov Live, was sentenced to six years in prison.
On December 18, 2024, the Bishkek City Court upheld this decision, and on February 25, 2025, the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic left the verdict unchanged.
Despite the fact that Mahabat Tajibek kyzy is the mother of a minor child, the court rejected her request to suspend the execution of the sentence, although such an option exists in the country's legislation.
UN Opinion
Human rights organizations emphasize that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found that Kyrgyzstan violated seven articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and six articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.In its conclusion, the group noted that the arrest of Mahabat Tajibek kyzy was a consequence of her lawful exercise of the right to freedom of expression and journalistic activity, including anti-corruption investigations.
The UN Working Group called for:
- the immediate release of Mahabat Tajibek kyzy;
- compensation for her unlawful deprivation of liberty;
- an investigation into the officials involved in her arbitrary arrest.
Date and time of the petition hearing:
- Date: February 2, 2025.
- Time: 10:00.
- Place: Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek (Toktobolota Abdumomunova St., 205).
According to the organization, the attention of the international community to this case is critically important for ensuring a fair trial and upholding Kyrgyzstan's commitments in the field of human rights and freedom of speech.
