BISHKEK (Reuters) -A court in Kyrgyzstan sentenced two former video editors of the independent outlet Kloop, Zhoomart Duulatov and Alexander Alexandrov, to five years in prison on Wednesday on charges of spreading false information and undermining public order.
The journalists' lawyer said the charges were fabricated, and that they had been unfairly convicted. Two more defendants, accountants at Kloop, were given suspended sentences.
Security services raided the homes of several current and former Kloop employees in early 2025, detaining Duulatov and Alexandrov and seizing equipment. Rights groups have described the trial as politically motivated and part of a broader campaign to silence independent media.
Kloop, founded in 2007, is known for its investigative reporting on corruption and human rights. It has faced mounting pressure in recent years, including attempts by authorities to shut down the organisation and restrict its operations. Its remaining staffers work from abroad and its website is blocked in Kyrgyzstan.
Once considered to have one of the most vibrant media landscapes in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan has seen growing restrictions on press freedom since President Sadyr Japarov took power in a 2020 revolution, with independent outlets and journalists facing increasing legal and political challenges.
(Reporting by Aigerim Turgunbaeva, editing by Felix Light and Alex Richardson)
