Kyrgyz authorities on Wednesday detained three journalists and a cameraman—all current or former staff of OCCRP partner Kloop—who have been investigating organized crime and corruption in Central Asia.
Agents from Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (GKNB) first raided the home of journalist Zyyagul Bolot kyzy in Osh and took her into custody. Hours later, cameraman Aleksandr Aleksandrov was detained in Bishkek. Journalist Aiday Erkebaeva was then brought in for questioning in the capital, along with former Kloop journalist Zara Sydygalieva, who left the outlet in 2023.
Authorities have not disclosed the reasons for the detentions, and lawyers have been denied access to the detainees.
This incident adds to a mounting crackdown on press freedom in Kyrgyzstan.Â
In early 2024, a court ordered Kloop to shut down, accusing it of spreading false information. Despite the ban, the outlet has continued to publish. Among its notable investigations is the Plunder and Patronage series, which exposed high-level corruption in the customs system.
The repression is not limited to Kloop. In January 2024, eleven journalists from Temirov Live, another OCCRP partner, were arrested. Director Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy was sentenced to six years in prison, while reporter Azamat Ishenbekov received five.
International watchdogs, including Reporters Without Borders and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the Kyrgyz government’s actions, warning of an accelerating slide toward authoritarian control over the media.
Founded in 2007, Kloop has remained committed to uncovering corruption despite intense government pressure, arrests, and censorship. The detention of Bolot kyzy underscores the growing and unpredictable dangers journalists in Kyrgyzstan face today. OCCRP and its partners continue to support local media under threat.
