ALMATY (Reuters) – A court in Kyrgyzstan on Thursday sentenced two journalists to prison terms and two more to probation after finding them guilty of inciting unrest, Kyrgyz news website Kaktus.media reported.
The four reporters were part of a group of 11 journalists detained in January in a move which prompted strong criticism from the West. Kyrgyzstan, which hosts a Russian military airbase, is closely allied with Moscow.
The journalists, who worked for private local news outlets, were accused of publishing stories which called for protests and public unrest, a charge they denied.
The court sentenced Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy to six years in prison and Azamat Ishenbekov to five years. It found seven defendants not guilty.
“Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns this decision, unsupported by evidence, as an attempt to muzzle independent journalism and calls for their immediate release,” the media rights group said in a statement.
“It is a dark day for press freedom in Kyrgyzstan.”
(Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
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