Kyrgyzstan - November 2022
Shock deportation of investigative journalist
On 23 November, the Court of Appeals upheld a lower court decision finding the investigative journalist Bolot Temirov guilty of document fraud, and then shocked Temirov and observers by ruling that he should be stripped of his Kyrgyz citizenship and immediately deported to Russia, where he also holds citizenship. The move followed months of judicial harassment and anger from senior officials over Temirov’s reporting on the business dealings of powerful officials. The move also follows other extrajudicial crackdowns on civil society, political opposition, and the media in recent months, including the blocking of the US-funded Radio Azattyk in October.
Sources: The Diplomat, EurasiaNet
