A series of developments in Kyrgyzstan threaten to further curb freedom of expression and the media, ten organizations including Human Rights Watch said today, urging the president not to sign a bill to restrict the media. The following is their statement:
Kyrgyzstan: President Should Step in to Halt the Erosion of Freedom of Expression
We, the undersigned international human rights organizations express our deepest concerns with troubling developments in Kyrgyzstan that further curb freedom of expression and the media and seem designed to encourage self-censorship among journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens. These include a draconian media draft law adopted by the parliament on June 25, 2025, the prosecution of the independent journalist Kanyshai Mamyrkulova for criticizing the government, and the independent broadcaster April TV.
We call on President Sadyr Japarov to refrain from signing the media bill, to send it back to the Jogorku Kenesh, and urge its members to address its troubling provisions in consultation with civil society and media stakeholders. We also call on the Kyrgyzstani authorities to drop all charges, vacate convictions, and release from custody all those imprisoned in retaliation for their critical speech and opinions.
Kyrgyzstan's international standing as a country that upholds free speech and media freedom has been undermined in recent years, falling in the Reporters without Borders Press Freedom Index from a ranking of 120 in 2024 to 144 in 2025.
Abusive Legal Actions Against the Media
On July 3, the Oktyabrskiy District Court in Bishkek sentenced journalist Kanyshai Mamyrkulova to four years of probation on charges of inciting mass riots (Article 278 of the Criminal Code) and racial, national, religious, or local hostility (Article 330). She had been detained on March 20, for her Facebook posts critical of the government's lack of transparency around a March 2025 border demarcation deal between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, following a violent conflict between the two countries in September 2022. Mamyrkulova rejected the charges as politically motivated.
During the June 30 court hearing, prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Mamyrkulova to eight and a half years in jail. Although the probation sentence means that Mamyrkulova has been released from custody, the verdict raises serious concerns for the journalist, who should never have been detained or charged in the first place. Mamyrkulova is subject to a curfew and must be at home from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. She cannot travel outside the country and must check in with the authorities twice a month, inform them of potential residence changes, and participate in the probation service activities. Significantly she is subject to restrictions on what she can write or publish online, including on social media. Any violations of these conditions risk cancellation of her conditional release and returning her into custody. Mamyrkulova's case sends yet another warning signal to civil society that the authorities will not tolerate criticism and are willing to use overly broad criminal provisions to silence critical journalism.
On July 4, the independent broadcaster April TV is expecting a final decision in a lawsuit filed in April by the Bishkek district Prosecutor's Office seeking to halt the broadcaster's activities on social media and revoke its television and radio broadcasting license. The prosecution has relied on so-called expert conclusions that April TV hosts "undermine the authorities" by expressing, in speech and through sarcasm and facial expressions disapproval of the government. Some of the experts testifying against April TV also served as experts in the case that led to the liquidation of Kloop Media foundation in 2024.
On July 1, Kloop Media reported that Kyrgyzstan's national security agency had summoned at least seven current or former April TV journalists for interrogation. Although the reasons for the interrogation remain unclear, the security agency summoning the journalists raises concern about pressure from the authorities.
The Mass Media Bill
The Mass Media bill passed by parliament in one sitting differs substantially from the compromise version developed through extensive consultation with the media and approved at the first reading in April. The final version approved in June grants the authorities wide powers to deny media outlets registration, obstruct their work, and close them down without judicial oversight.
The version submitted to Parliament in December 2023 drew strong criticism from human rights groups, media professionals, and international experts for giving authorities excessive control over media and online platforms. In a 2023 joint opinion
