Kyrgyzstan Orders Retrial for Jailed Journalist After UN Pressure
A journalist from Temirov Live, Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy, will have her case reviewed after Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Court ordered a retrial. The decision comes following pressure from international bodies, including the United Nations. She remains the only reporter from the outlet still detained after a wave of arrests in early 2024.
Tazhibek kyzy was convicted in October 2024 on charges of inciting and organising mass riots. Critics argue the case was retaliation for Temirov Live's investigations into high-level corruption. While 11 journalists were initially detained in January 2024, most were later released or acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
Azamat Ishenbekov received a pardon, while Aktilek Kaparov and Aike Beishekeeva were freed on probation. The Supreme Court's review follows lobbying by the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the U.N. Human Rights Office. Bolot Temirov, editor-in-chief of Temirov Live, credited the intervention for the court's decision. Since Tazhibek kyzy's conviction, Kyrgyzstan has tightened media restrictions further. By early 2026, authorities had arrested more journalists covering protests and expanded the use of extremism laws against independent outlets. The prosecution of Temirov Live reporters has drawn condemnation from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Reporters Without Borders.
The case will now return to a lower court for reconsideration. Tazhibek kyzy's continued detention highlights ongoing concerns over press freedom in Kyrgyzstan. International observers will monitor the retrial closely as restrictions on media persist.
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