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Our goal: to leave no breach of freedom of information unreported. Discover our world press freedom ranking, our latest investigation reports as well as our publications produced every day by our regional offices, in connection with our network of correspondents in 115 countries around the world. To make a lasting change, we carry out in-depth work with governments and institutions. We offer concrete solutions and launch international initiatives. We are on the ground to assist journalists in danger. Anywhere and anytime. Do you believe there can be no freedom of conscience without freedom of the press? Do you want to help free and independent journalism, and those who embody it? Do you want to defend the right to information? There are several ways to support RSF: find the one that suits you and join the fight! Go behind the scenes of RSF and discover in detail our operations, our teams, our funding, our governance… but also our favourite picks, partners, projects and events we support and who act in their own way to advance our commmon ideal. With relative freedom of expression and of the press, the country was an exception in Central Asia despite an unstable economy and rampant official corruption. However, it is now experiencing an upsurge in pressure on the media. The government still controls all traditional media and is trying to extend its influence to privately owned outlets. A degree of pluralism exists, as seen in the popularity of news sites such as 24.kgt, Kaktus.media and Kloop.kg, as well as the growth of investigative and data journalism. But these outlets are being harassed and, of late, their situation has become critical. Radio and television continue to be the main news sources for most of the population. Kyrgyzstan, with an unstable and polarised political environment, has experienced three revolutions since its independence in 1991. Some media outlets are used by political leaders to advance their personal interests. Public institutions restrict journalists’ access to information. More and more websites are arbitrarily blocked, as has been the case for Kloop. Media outlets and journalists are raided and prosecuted on the basis of false accusations, especially those who publish investigative reports on those in power. In recent years, officials have tended to reinforce censorship and adopt laws restricting press freedom. President Sadyr Japarov has signed a law on protection against “false information”, which violates the constitution and international treaties. A proposed media law that would include disproportionate penalties and a vaguely worded re-registration requirement risks further restricting press freedom. Massive official support for pro-government publications distorts competition between outlets. Under pressure from the authorities, leading private-sector companies refuse to advertise in independent media outlets. The authorities are preparing to pass a law, similar to one in Russia, that would label independent media that receive financial support from abroad as “foreign agents”. Because of the high level of corruption in the country, investigative reports on the topic are valued and seem to be the subject of growing public interest. But much of society is also swayed by government propaganda portraying independent media as “enemies of the people” and “slaves of the West”. Independent media face a new wave of pressure. In the space of a few hours on 16 January 2024, the police arrested 11 journalists who work or had worked for the investigative YouTube channel run by Bolot Temirov, who was illegally expelled from Kyrgyzstan in 2022. Investigative reporters are often convicted, especially on defamation charges, when they criticise the authorities, and news sites are often the targets of cyberattacks after publishing articles about corruption. Investigative journalists are targets of violence, as were reporters at protests until they were banned in the capital in March 2022. Your donations enable RSF to keep working. We depend on you in order to be able to monitor respect for press freedom and take action worldwide. Media freedom is a fundamental right, but nearly half of the world’s population has no access to freely reported news and information.
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Attribution:
This article was summarized and republished from the original source.
Please check the original article here: https://rsf.org/en/country/kyrgyzstan.