Akyn Askat Zhetigen Released Under Travel Restrictions
On March 18, 2024, Bishkek’s Pervomaisky Court made a decision to release akyn Askat Zhetigen under travel restrictions. The court’s press service confirmed that the request for detention from the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic was refused.
Instead, a travel ban was imposed on Zhetigen until the investigation is completed. Prior to the court hearing, the activist expressed to the media that he did not see his words as a crime and had tried to convey his thoughts respectfully.
Akyn Askat Zhetigen had been detained by SCNS officers for criticizing the authorities and was transferred from Naryn to Bishkek, where he was held in a temporary detention center for 48 hours.
This case highlights the ongoing tensions between activists and the authorities in Kyrgyzstan and raises concerns about freedom of expression in the country. It remains to be seen how this situation will develop as the investigation continues.
