Subject: Most recent update on the convicted Jalal-Abad journalist
From: Alisher Khamidov (alisher@infotel.kg)
Date: Wed Jun 21 2000 - 21:55:51 EDT
Jalal-Abad, southern Kyrghyzstan. A group of Osh based journalists visited
the town of Jalal-Abad to support their colleague Moldosali Ibraimov
journalist who was convicted for libel on June 19th) and the newspaper
"Akikat," that was fined 100,000 soms ( $2000) by the Jalal-Abad city court
judgde Suleimanov Jusup for publishing an aritcle by the journalist. The
verdict came out two days ago on June 19th.
Today, on 21 June, Osh Media Center organized a trip to Jalal-Abad for 9 Osh
( province in the south of Kyrghyzstan) journalists (including local
correspondents of Pyramid Teleradio company, Osh TV, Radio Pyramid, Osh
Press Vesti, Ekho Osha, Asaba, Vecherni Bishkek) The first goal of the trip
was to conduct an independent investigation in an effort to collect
information related to the case. The second goal was to show solidarity with
Jalal Abad journalists and NGOs who are invovled in protecting the
journalist and the newspaper. Also to discuss the recent developments
pertinent to the case with them, and to prepare a plan of joint actions.
Meetings held with:
1. the editor-in-chief and editorial board of the newspaper "Akikat";
2. the Human Rights monitoring association "Spravedlivost";
3. the Kyrghyz Human Rights Committee representative;
4. the indepdent public defender who represented the convicted journalist;
5. Chief of staff of the governor of Jalal-Abad oblast;
6. a number of the Jalal-Abad oblast journalists;
7. the judge Suleimanov Jusup who made a verdict;
8. Kasymbekov Toktosun, the judge who filed a complaint against the
journalist;
All meetings held have again reconfirmed the belief of Osh journalists that
the verdict made by the Jalal-Abad court in the case of Moldosali Ibraimov
and the newspaper have seriously violated the law, including freedom of
expression and the freedom of press guaranteed by the constitution of the
Kyrghyz Republic and international laws. More importantly, it was an
egregious mistake to jail the journalist who did not pose any threat to
community after the verdict was announced. The group has also discovered a
number of other serious law violations in the verdict, which supress freedom
of the press.
At the end of the day, a meeting took place between the Jalal-Abad Human
Rights organizations, Jalal Abad journalists and Osh journalsits. During the
meeting, journalists and human rights experts have summoned their
observations and suggestions. After discussing the text of the verdict and
the current situation with the jailed journalist, the meeting participants
engaged in a very heated discusison over a plan of joint actions.
Here is the plan at which they arrived at the end:
1. It was agreed that the first step is to free the journalist, which can be
technically achieved by the law. This can be done if the public defender of
the journalist can submit an official request supported by solid legal
justification to the judge Suleimanov Jusup. Journalists from Osh and
involved NGOs have found a number of points that can provide a very solid
legal justification that seems to be enough to free the journalist ( based
on the Kyrghyz legislature, international laws)
2. The second step is to find a competent lawyer to appeal the verdict of
the Jalal-Abad city court and to represent the interest of the journalist
and the newspaper in the Jalal-Abad oblast (province) court. Since "Akikat"
is the organ of the Jalal-Abad oblast administration, it is the immediate
task of the administration to pay a fine (100,000 thousand soms) and to hire
a lawyer for the newspaper. Given that the convicted journalist Moldosali
Ibraimov is an independent contributing journalist, and that he is not an
employee of the newspaper, it was quite possible that the goverment might
not want to protect his interests while defending the newspaper that belongs
to the state.
One of the surprizing things happened during the meeting with the chief of
staff of the governor of Jalal-Abad province -Mr. Ibragimov B. Having
expressed the disagreement of the administration with the verdict of the
court, the chief of staff appealed to Osh Media Center, journalists and
involved NGOs with the request to help the Jalal-Abad oblast government, and
to provide support for their newspaper "Akikat" in the upcoming hearings.
Keeping this in mind, the meeting participants assigned local Human Rights
NGOs to engage in the search of another defender for the journalist and the
newspaper too. The Osh Media Center will assist in this.
3. In the meantime, it is important to mobilize and attract the journalist
community of the Kyrghyz Republic, CIS and foreign journalists to the case,
to collect letters of support from them ( It was assigned to the Osh Media
Resource Center and the Central Asian Media Support Project)
The mobilization of regional/international non-governmental organizations
and institutions working in the area of Human Rights protection was assigned
to the Jalal-Abad association "Spravedlivost," headed by Valeri Uleev.
Valeri Uleev is also the chairman of Slavic Association of Jalal-Abad
province).
4. The fourth step is to draft a letter to the president of the Kyrghyz
Republic, seniour representatives of the judiciary system of the Kyrghyz
Republic, leading statesmen and respective entities with following requests:
a) To stop persecution of journalists;
b) To guarantee and protect rights and freedoms of journalists;
c). To pay a more closer attention to the cases when judges violate
different laws on freedom of press by applying outrageous and severe
punishment on journalists;
d). To reconsider the libel as the criminal offense and to change it to
civil offense;
It was also agreed that the implementations of above mentioned steps is to
be carried out as soon as it was possible.
At the end of the meeting, Jalal Abad journalists, the newspaper "Akikat"
members and local NGOs have expressed their gratitude to their colleagues
from Osh and other countries who support them in this difficult moment.
Bakyt Orunbekov, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Akikat," expressed
his happiness and deep satisfaction over the fact that for the first time in
the history of Jalal-Abad oblast, the governmental newspaper received so
much support of different NGOs and journalists. He had made a special
emphasis on the importance of the involvement of Osh oblast journlaists, who
were among first to react to their complicated situation.
Osh Media Resource Center used this opportunity to further develop the
regional collaboration of journalists. About 12 Jalal-Abad journalists and
NGO representatives have signed letters of support for Khakimjon Khusanov.
Khakimjon Khusanov is an Osh based journalist who is charged with
incriminations descrbed in the article 299 of the criminal code ( incitement
of interethnic hostilities). Tomorrow, on 22 June is the third session of
his case's hearing. It is expected that the judge will announce the verdict
tomorrow.
For more information on developments in the case of Moldosali Ibraimov and
Khakimjon Khusanov, please contact:
Alisher Khamidov
Director/ Osh Media Center
Coordinator/ Central Asian Media Support Project
email: alisher@infotel.kg
tel/fax: (996) 3222 20858
If you wish to support the journalist, send an email message to following
address:
omrc3000@mail.ru
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