PRESS RIGHTS AND CONSTRAINTS IN KYRGYZSTAN: THE FIRST YEAR OF PRESIDENT ATAMBAEV
Abstract
The article discusses a new era of human, press, and political rights protections in Kyrgyzstan. However, the interim administration of President Roza Otunbaeva and the accession of her democratically elected successor, President Almazbek Atambaev, on December 1, 2011, failed to produce the anticipated significant commitment to restore and safeguard press rights. Drawing on interviews with journalists and mass media experts in Bishkek and Osh, this article examines the press rights situation and restraints in the first year of the Atambaev administration. It concludes that the achievement of a strong press rights record will be neither easy nor swift in light of Kyrgyzstan’s Soviet-era and post-independence history, economic constraints, and political fragility.
Downloads
References
See: Kyrgyzstan: Widening Ethnic Divisions in the South, Asia Report No. 222, International Crisis Group, p. 3,available at [http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/central-asia/kyrgyzstan/222-kyrgyzstan-widening-ethnic-divisions-in-the-south.aspx], 29 March, 2012.
See: Statement by U.S. Embassy Bishkek Congratulating President Atambaev on His Inauguration, 1 December, 2011,available at [http://bishkek.usembassy.gov/pr_embassyinauguration.html], 1 December, 2011.
E. Freedman, R. Shafer, S. Antonova, “Two Decades of Repression: The Persistence of Authoritarian Controls on the Mass Media in Central Asia,” Central Asia and the Caucasus, Vol. 11, Issue 4, 2010, p. 95.
See: S. Kulikova, G. Ibraeva, The Historical Development and Current Situation of the Mass Media in Kyrgyzstan,Occasional Papers 1, Cimera Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland, 2002.
See: K.A. Karagulova, “Danger Ahead: The Government Discourse on the Elections and Observation Before 24 March,2005,” in: Observing or Participating in Regime Change? Kyrgyz Perspectives on the Role of International Election Observation Missions in 2005, ed. by S. Torjesen, I. Overland, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Oslo, 2006, pp. 25-43.
See: E. Freedman, “After the Tulip Revolution: Journalism Education in Kyrgyzstan,” Paper presented at the World Journalism Education Congress, Singapore, 2007.
See: I. Wolf, “Hizb ut-Tahrir in Kyrgyzstan as Presented in Vecherniy Bishkek: A Radical Islamist Organization through the Eyes of Kyrgyz Journalists,” in: After the Czars and Commissars: Journalism in Authoritarian Post-Soviet Central Asia, ed. by E. Freedman, R. Shafer, Michigan State University Press, East Lansing, Michigan, 2011, pp. 79-97.
See: G. Pitts, “Professionalism among Journalists in Kyrgyzstan,” in: After the Czars and Commissars: Journalism in Authoritarian Post-Soviet Central Asia, pp. 233-243.
See: S.V. Kulikova, D.D. Perlmutter, “Blogging Down the Dictator? The Kyrgyz Revolution and Samizdat Websites,”in: After the Czars and Commissars: Journalism in Authoritarian Post-Soviet Central Asia, pp. 263-286.
See: E. Freedman, “When a Democratic Revolution Isn’t Democratic or Revolutionary,” Journalism, Vol. 10, No. 6,2009, pp. 843-861.
See: Freedom of the Press 2012-Kyrgyzstan, Freedom House, available at [http://www.freedomhouse.org].
See: “OSCE Media Freedom Representative Praises Kyrgyzstan’s Media Freedom Progress, Urges Authorities to Ensure Safety of Journalists,” Press Release, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, available at [http://www.
sce.org/fom/77788], 19 May, 2011.
See: Freedom of the Press 2012 and Freedom on the Net 2012, Freedom House, available at [http:www.
reedomhouse.org].
See: Media Sustainability Index 2012: The Development of Sustainable Independent Media in Europe and Eurasia,International Research & Exchanges Board, 2012, p. 290.
Press Freedom Index 2011/2012, 2012, Reporters sans Frontières, available at [http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2011-2012,1043.html].
See: E. Freedman, “When a Democratic Revolution Isn’t Democratic or Revolutionary.”
See: E. Freedman, “Environmental Journalism and Ecological Nongovernmental Organizations in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan: Too Rarely Shall the Twain Meet,” Central Eurasian Studies Society, October 2009.
See: I. Wolf, “Comparative Quantitative and Qualitative Content Analyses of Coverage of Hizb ut-Tahrir in German,British and Kyrgyz Quality Newspapers in 2002-2007,” Dissertation for a Ph.D. in Psychology, University of Constance,Germany, 2011, 362 pp.
Mark Walsh, interview, 22 November, 2012, Bishkek.
Media, multinational, and NGO sources included: the Committee to Protect Journalists; Institute for War & Peace
Reporting; Ferghana News; EurasiaNet; Forum 18 News Service; International Crisis Group; International Research &Exchanges Board; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; U.S. Department of State; Amnesty International; Reporters sans Frontières; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; IFEX; and Human Rights Watch.
See: M. Suleymanov, “Otunbayeva Must Put Words into Action in Askarov Case,” Committee to Protect Journalists,available at [http://cpj.org/blog/2011/03/otunbayeva-must-put-words-into-action-in-askarov-c.php], 11 March, 2011.
See: “Human Rights Azimjan Askarov Takes His Torture and Unfair Trial in Kyrgyzstan to Human Rights
Committee,” Ferghana News, available at [http://enews.fergananews.com/articles/2792], 13 November, 2012.
See: “A Letter of Thanks from Askarov,” Committee to Protect Journalists, available at [www.cpj.org/awards/2012/
-letter-of-thanks-from-askarov.php], 2012.
See: “Kyrgyz Government Blocks Access to News Website,” Committee to Protect Journalists, available at [http://
pj.org/2012/02/kyrgyz-government-blocks-access-to-news-website.php], 23 February, 2012.
See: D. Trilling, “Kyrgyzstan: Rights Activists Condemn Ban on Gay Muslim Documentary,” EurasiaNet, available at [http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65986], 1 October, 2012.
See: Media Sustainability Index 2012: The Development of Sustainable Independent Media in Europe and Eurasia,p. 289.
G. Toralieva, interview, 15 May, 2012, Bishkek.
Z. Kubonych, interview, 15 May, 2012, Bishkek.
E. Karakulova, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
Anonymous 2, interview, 18 May, 2012, Osh.
B. Ibraimov, interview, 18 May, 202, Osh.
Anonymous 1, Interview, 16, May, 2012, Osh.
For background, see: “Kyrgyzstan: News Agency Sues Government Over ‘Illegal’ Ban,” EurasiaNet, available at [http://www.eurasianet.org/node/66292], 12 December, 2012.
For background, see: “Two Media Owners Sentenced in Absentia,” IFEX, available at [http://ifex.org/
yrgyzstan/2011/11/16/media_owners_sentenced_absentia], 16 November 2011.
For background, see: D. Trilling “Kyrgyzstan: `Political Reporting is Not a Crime’—Watchdog,” EurasiaNet,available at [http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65067], 1 March, 2012.
See: A. Muratbekov, “Kyrgyzstan: Caught between Nationalists, Court Fines Journalist,” Global Voices Online,available at [http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/07/10/kyrgyzstan-caught-between-nationalists-court-fines-journalist], 10 July,2012.
Quoted from: C. Rickleton, “Kyrgyzstan: Prosecution of Russian Journalist Tests Ethnic Enmity Laws,” EurasiaNet,available at [http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65130], 14 March, 2012.
Ibidem.
F. Styers, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
G. Toralieva, email to author, 26 February, 2013.
Z. Kubonych, interview, 15 May, 2012, Bishkek.
F. Styers, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
Roundtable at Yntymak Radio, 17 May, 2012, Osh.
T. Aidakunov, interview, 18 May, 2012, Osh.
A. Pyatibratova, interview, Osh, 17 May, 2012.
See: T. Hanitzch, R. Berganza, “Explaining Journalists’ Trust in Public Institutions across 20 Countries: Media Freedom, Corruption, and Ownership Matter Most,” Journal of Communication, Vol. 62, No. 5, 2012, pp. 794-814.
F. Styers, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
B. Ibraimov, interview, 18 May, 202, Osh.
Roundtable at Yntymak Radio, 17 May, 2012, Osh.
E. Karakulova, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
F. Styers, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
T. Umaraliev, interview, Bishkek, 14 May, 2012.
Ibidem.
M. Aitieva, interview, Bishkek, 15 May, 2012.
G. Toralieva, interview, 15 May, 2012, Bishkek.
Anonymous 1, Interview, 16, May, 2012, Osh.
Roundtable at Yntymak Radio, 17 May, 2012, Osh.
E. Karakulova, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
See: “Kyrgyzstan: Language and Media Still Sensitive Subjects in Southern Regions,” EurasiaNet, available at
[http://www.eurasianet.org/node/66068], 18 October, 2012.
See: Ibidem.
See: M. Esenov, “The Role of the Media in Covering Ethnic Issues,” Central Asia and the Caucasus, Vol. 13, Issue 2,2012, p. 7.
See: Ibid., p. 8.
See: M. Suleymanov, “Q & A: Khudaiberdiyev on Kyrgyz Trial, Press Freedom,” Committee to Protect Journalists,available at [http://www.cpj.org/blog/2011/12/q-a-khudaiberdiyev-on-kyrgyzstan-trial-press-freed.php], 1 December, 2011.
See: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011: Kyrgyz Republic, U.S. Department of State, available at [http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/186678.pdf].
E. Karakulova, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
A. Pyatibratova, interview, Osh, 17 May, 2012.
B. Ibraimov, interview, 18 May, 202, Osh.
See: “Corruption Perceptions Index 2012,” Transparency International, available at [http://www.transparency.org/
country#KGZ], 5 December, 2012.
See: S.U. Kim, “UN Rights Chief Urges Kyrgyzstan to Address Corruption, Discrimination,” Jurist, available at [http://
urist.org/paperchase/2012/07/un-rights-chief-urges-kyrgyzstan-to-address-corruption-discrimination.php], 10 July, 2012.
See: C. Rickleton, “Kyrgyzstan: Is Corruption Controversy and Sign of Political Trouble Ahead?” EurasiaNet,available at [http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65715], 26 July, 2012.
See: A. Sultankulova, “Kyrgyzstan Energy Official Faces Corruption Charges,” RIA Novosti, available at [http://
n.rian.ru/news/20121112/177388448.html], 12 November, 2012.
E. Karakulova, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
See: M. Bayram, “Kyrgyzstan: We Need to Protect the Rights of the Majority,” Forum 18 News Service, available at [http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1712], 15 June, 2012.
See: “Kyrgyzstan: Investigate, Prosecute Police Abuse,” Statement, Human Rights Watch, available at [http://www.
rw.org/news/2012/11/14/kyrgyzstan-investigate-prosecute-police-abuse ], 14 November, 2012.
See: “Kyrgyzstan: Schools Wrestle with Equal Access Issue,” EurasiaNet.org, available at [http://www.eurasianet.
rg/node/66102], 24 October, 2012.
See: J.E. Relly, “Do Journalists Have Information Access? Exploring News Media Freedom and Colonial Heritage in 42 Nations,” Paper presented to the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, 2010.
B. Ibraimov, interview, 18 May, 202, Osh.
F. Styers, interview, 14 May, 2012, Bishkek.
M. Aitieva, interview, Bishkek, 15 May, 2012.
A. Pyatibratova, interview, Osh, 17 May, 2012.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2013 Author
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.