Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy and Azamat Ishembekov sentenced to prison time

On 10 October 2024, the Leninskiy District Court in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, ruled to sentence women human rights defender and journalist Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy and human rights defender and akyn Azamat Ishembekov to six and five years of prison time respectively. The Court found the human rights defenders guilty of “calls for mass civil unrest,” criminal offences under Part 2 of Article 41 and Part 3 of Article 278 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Code. Two other human rights defenders and journalists, Aktilek Kaparov and Ayke Beyshekeeva, received three years of probation for the same charges. The human rights defenders will appeal this decision.

Temirov Live is a YouTube-based investigative media outlet founded in 2020 by Bolot Temirov, a Kyrgyz human rights defender and journalist focused on corruption investigations. Ayt Ayt Dese is a YouTube project that popularizes human rights issues by performing and publishing folk songs on related topics, including some based on Temirov Live's investigations.

On 10 October 2024, Leninskiy District Court handed down the prison time sentences for Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy and Azamat Ishembekov on charges related to “calls for mass civil unrest.” Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, the head of Temirov Live and Ayt Ayt Dese, received a six-year prison sentence, while Azamat Ishembekov, a human rights defender and akyn collaborating with Ayt Ayt Dese, was sentenced to five years in prison. Additionally, the Court ruled that the legal custodian and place of residence of a 12-years old son of Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy and human rights defender and of journalist Bolot Temirov must be determined by the Kyrgyzstani state social services.

The Court also sentenced human rights defenders and journalists Aktilek Kaparov and Ayke Beyshekeeva to three years of probation. Probation does not entail prison time, but restricts the ability of the human rights defenders to leave the country and imposes state control over their life and work. In case the rules of probation are violated, the Court can revisit the verdict and sentence both to prison time, too. Such conditions will limit the ability of the defenders to carry out their human rights work. Seven other human rights defenders and journalists were acquitted due to a lack of evidence. The Court hearing was closed to the public, similarly to the previous hearings, and only few journalists received a permission to hear the verdict.

On 16 January 2024, all 11 journalists and human rights defenders were arrested, accused of organizing "calls for mass civil unrest," offences under Part 2 of Article 41 and Part 3 of Article 278 of Kyrgyzstan’s Criminal Code. The trial began in June 2024 and has been held behind closed doors, with journalists prohibited from recording proceedings. Many attendees were unable to enter the courtroom due to its limited size. President Sadyr Japarov has repeatedly criticized both Temirov Live and Ayt Ayt Dese, labeling them as “bloggers” and “journalists with no professional qualifications,” accusing them of irresponsibly publishing information that threatens national security and alleging that they are “receiving money for this.”

Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the prison time sentences to woman human rights defender and journalist Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy and human rights defender and akyn Azamat Ishembekov. The organization also condemns the sentencing of Aktilek Kaparov and Ayke Beyshekeeva to probation. Front Line Defenders sees these sentences as a retaliation for the defenders’ legitimate and peaceful human rights work; the organization sees this trial and the results of it as having a chilling effect on the human rights work of independent investigative journalism in Kyrgyzstan, being in line with the overall attack against human rights media.

Front Line Defenders urges the Kyrgyzstani authorities not to exploit the fate of a minor in this trial, as it can constitute an additional act of retaliation against woman human rights defender Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy. Front Line Defenders urges the authorities of Kyrgyzstan to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against human rights defenders and journalists Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, Azamat Ishembekov, and their colleagues, and to end the judicial harassment against human rights journalists in the country.

On 18 June 2024, the press service of the Penitentiary Service of Kyrgyzstan reported that the Special Prosecutor's Office had finalised their investigation into the beating of woman human rights defender Makhabat Tazhybek Kyzy in detention and refused to launch a criminal investigation. The Prosecutor concluded that woman human rights defender “incited her cellmates to disobedience” and “shared offensive comments towards the prison authorities,” seemingly justifying the inhumane treatment which she endured.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, Makhabat Tazhybek Kyzy asked her cellmate to “squeeze her hands really tight”, in order for bruises and abrasions to appear so that she could stage beatings and blame the prison authorities of the Pre-Trial Detention Center #1 in Bishkek. However, this contradicts a report from the National Torture Prevention Mechanism (NPM) of Kyrgyzstan, made immediately after the woman human rights defender reported beatings. The report stated that there were signs of inhumane treatment and collected statement against the prison authorities.

On 5 April 2024, woman human rights defender and journalist Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, was reportedly physically assaulted by law enforcement officers in Pre-Trial Detention Center #1 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. According to her lawyer, the woman human rights defender suffered bruises on her arms and her face, along with the left side of her jaw. She is also experiencing severe headaches as a result of the assault. At time of writing, it remains unclear whether the woman human rights defender has access to medical support.

Download the Urgent Appeal

Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy is a woman human rights defender and journalist who serves as the director of Temirov Live and Ayt Ayt Dece. Temirov Live is a YouTube-based media outlet that investigates and reports on corruption by state and non-state actors in Kyrgyzstan, founded in 2020 by Bolot Temirov, a prominent Kyrgyzstani human rights defender and journalist. Ayt Ayt Dese is a YouTube-based project aimed at popularizing human rights issues through the performance and publication of folk songs on human rights topics. Among other topics, Ayt Ayt Dese has covered investigations by Temirov Live.

On 6 April 2024, human rights defender and journalist Bolot Temirov reported in his personal Telegram channel that on 5 April 2024, Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy and four of her cellmates were subjected to physical violence in the pre-trial detention center by a law enforcement officer from the State Penitentiary Service, Aqyl Ryskulov. Bolot Temirov suggested that this exposure to physical violence was retaliation for Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy’s official complaints about psychological violence by another prison staff member, submitted on 20 March 2024. The woman human rights defender also reported to her lawyer that the prison psychologist questioned her about her work in human rights media.

On 6 April 2024, representatives of the National Center for the Prevention of Torture of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan – a part of the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman in Kyrgyzstan – visited Pre-Trial Detention Center #1. They accepted a complaint on behalf of Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy and compiled a report documenting evidence of inhumane treatment. However, the staff of Pre-Trial Detention Center #1 prevented the representatives from taking pictures of the bruises, despite theere being no rules again such actions.

On 16 January 2024, law enforcement officers in Kyrgyzstan raided the office of the media outlet Temirov Live and detained 11 human rights journalists, including Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, for alleged calls for mass civil unrest in one of the corruption investigations published by media outlets Temirov.Live and Ayt Ayt Dece. The woman human rights defender will remain in Pre-trial Detention Center #1 until 13 May 2024, despite having a 12-year-old son. The investigation suggests that the woman human rights defender is one of the "organizers" behind the "calls for mass civil unrest," criminal offenses envisaged by Part 2 of Article 41 and Part 3 of Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.

Front Line Defenders expresses grave concerns about the reported physical and psychological violence inflicted upon woman human rights defender Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy while in detention, and condemns the detention of human rights defenders and independent journalists in Kyrgyzstan, including the detention of Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, viewing it as reprisal against legitimate and peaceful human rights work. Front Line Defenders organization is gravely concerned about the wave of repressions faced by human rights defenders and journalists in the country. In recent years, Kyrgyzstan’s authorities have refused accreditations to media outlets, passed laws restricting their activities, and filed lawsuits against independent journalists.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Kyrgyzstan to:

• Ensure that all necessary measures are taken to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, and provide her access to independent medical doctors and mental health professionals;
• Carry out an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation into the documented instances of inhumane treatment of Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, publish the results, and bring those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
• Immediately and unconditionally release Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, along with other human rights defenders and journalists, and close the criminal case on "calls for mass civil unrest";
• Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan can carry out their activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions, in line with Kyrgyzstan’s international human rights obligations and commitments.