The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, visited Bishkek, where he addressed both positive and concerning trends in Kyrgyzstan’s development. Speaking at a press conference, he expressed particular concern over increasing restrictions on civil society and independent journalism.
“We are seeing worrying signs of pressure on civil society and independent journalism, which is creating an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship,” Türk stated.
He highlighted the criminal prosecution and pre-trial detention of journalists, bloggers, activists, human rights defenders, and political opponents as alarming signs of deteriorating freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.
Türk further warned that “such emblematic cases are always an alarm bell,” emphasizing the broader implications of restrictions on press freedom in Kyrgyzstan.
His concerns align with earlier warnings from the United States Senate. On January 20, 2023, U.S. senators sent a letter to President Sadyr Japarov, voicing deep concern over the decline of press freedom, particularly regarding the treatment of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Kyrgyz Service, Radio Azattyk, and its affiliated journalists.
Recent press freedom rankings reflect this downward trend. In 2024, Kyrgyzstan dropped by 2% in the World Press Freedom Index. The previous year, the country fell 50 places in Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index, ranking 122nd out of 180 countries.
Despite these concerns, the Kyrgyz government has defended its media policies, arguing that new regulations are intended to maintain national stability.
