SCNS to Serve as Third Party in Blocking of Kloop Media
The State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS) has become involved in the process of blocking the Kloop website as a third party, according to a recent post on Twitter by the news agency. The involvement of the SCNS comes as part of preliminary hearings on the lawsuit filed by Kloop against the Ministry of Culture, which seeks to cancel the decision to block the news agency’s website.
The judge presiding over the hearing granted the Ministry of Culture’s request to involve the SCNS in the case as a third party. The hearings are set to continue on January 31, with Kloop seeking to completely cancel the decisions of the Ministry of Culture and declare them invalid.
This is not the first legal challenge faced by Kloop, as the Bishkek prosecutor has also filed a lawsuit to liquidate the Kloop.Media public foundation. The lawsuit alleges that Kloop’s publications are of a negative nature and aimed at discrediting state and municipal bodies. The prosecutor’s office also accuses the public foundation of concealing a large amount of funds.
Kloop, for its part, has filed lawsuits against the Ministry of Culture, seeking to overturn decisions that demanded the removal of allegedly inaccurate information from the website. The news agency has been at odds with the government over its coverage and has faced allegations of publishing sharp criticisms of the government.
The involvement of the SCNS in the case, as well as the ongoing legal challenges faced by Kloop, highlight the tensions between the news agency and the Kyrgyz government. The outcome of the legal proceedings will have significant implications for press freedom and the protection of independent media in Kyrgyzstan.
