Lawsuits Against Ministry of Culture Over Kloop Media Shutdown
Kloop lawyers file lawsuits against Ministry of Culture of Kyrgyzstan
Bishkek – 24.kg news agency
by Maria ORLOVA
Kloop lawyers have taken legal action against the Ministry of Culture of Kyrgyzstan by filing two lawsuits, as reported by the media outlet on its Telegram channel.
The first lawsuit challenges the Ministry of Culture’s decisions from September 7 and 8, demanding the removal of allegedly inaccurate information from the website. This action was in response to a request from the State Committee for National Security related to an article titled “Politician Ravshan Dzheenbekov said he was tortured in the pre-trial detention center 1.”
The second lawsuit is related to the Ministry of Culture’s decision on October 9, which led to the blocking of the Russian version of Kloop.kg, followed by the blocking of the Kyrgyz-language version of the website.
In these lawsuits, Kloop is seeking the complete cancellation of the Ministry of Culture’s decisions and to have them recognized as invalid.
It was previously reported on August 28 that Bishkek prosecutor Emilbek Abdymanapov had filed a lawsuit in court to liquidate Kloop.Media public foundation, citing reasons such as negative publications aimed at discrediting state and municipal bodies, hidden manipulations of public opinion, and sharp criticism of the government. The prosecutor’s office also accused the foundation of concealing a large amount of funds.
These legal actions highlight the ongoing tensions between independent media and government authorities in Kyrgyzstan. The outcome of these lawsuits will be closely watched by observers as they have broader implications for freedom of the press and democracy in the country.
