Independent media have come under attack following the overthrow of the government in Bishkek on 7 April 2010. Photo: IMS

Repeated incidents of attacks in recent months on independent media critical of the government was a contributing factor to massive protests leading to the overthrow on Wednesday of the government in the Kyrgyz Republic. International news  and media organisations report about the lead up to this week's dramatic events

In recent months, the government has retaliated against independent media for reporting on widespread anti-government protests, for being critical of the government, and for covering other politically sensitive issues, report the Kyrgyzstan-based Public Association Journalists (PAJ), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders, (RSF).

Acording to news reports, discontent has been simmering for weeks and erupted this week when rage over state corruption, increases in utility prices and restrictions on the flow of information prompted thousands of people to take to massive protests in the streets of Bishkek. In the heat of things, protesters stormed government offices and looting state-run radio and telvision headquarters there.

According to Associated Press, Public Association of Journalists (PAJ) reported that thirteen Kyrgyz media organisations released a statement last month saying the blocking of independent news sources is a "coordinated attempt to deprive Kyrgyz citizens of information covering the major events which occur in the country". On 15 March, dozens of activists, opposition politicians, and members of parliament and youth and media organisations protested restrictions on the media in the capital.

On 10 March, several radio and television stations across the country dropped programming from the Kyrgyz service of the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), also known as Radio Azattyk. Authorities had threatened to revoke their licenses if they did not comply. Radio Azattyk recently reported on money-laundering charges filed in Italy against a businessman with investments in Kyrgyzstan and connections to President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's family. The report prompted calls for Bakiyev's resignation. Radio Azattyk's website is also inaccessible.

Independent news websites known for being critical of the government policies have been blocked since 10 March. According to RSF they include the leading information portal Paruskg.info, whose editor Gennady Pavlyuk was murdered last December. On 1 April, police raided the offices of a Web-based independent television channel, Stan TV, and seized its computers, while authorities sealed the outlet's premises, reports CPJ. "This is a revenge for our reports about the opposition, for our reporting about what is really happening in the country," said Stan TV's editor to Reuters.

Three independent newspapers were suspended last month. According to CPJ, two of these papers were shut down on 18 March for carrying an article written by an exile opposition activist that accused the government and President of corruption, nepotism and failure to engage in urgent social and economic concerns, says CPJ. The court found the two newspapers guilty of libelling the President. Prosecutors have demanded that they each pay US$112,000, says CPJ. This fine will encourage self-censorship in the media and severely threaten the newspapers' survival.

Newspapers publishing statements by the opposition calling for President Bakiev's removal were also targeted. On 15 March, police confiscated 7,000 copies of the opposition newspaper "Forum" and briefly detained its editor and five other journalists, reports RSF. The newspaper was suspended at the end of the month. Also, editors of two other opposition newspapers were called in for questioning about recent articles on 16 March.

International Media Support is closely following the situation. In early 2009, a series of crack-downs on media institutions and journalists gave rise to serious concerns over the development of independent media.

IMS has for years run a number of activities in support of independent media in Kyrgyz Republic. Among others, IMS is supporting media production in the Fergana Valley stretching accross eastern Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. Here, the freedolina.net website, which was formed as part of the activities, seems to have survived the recent series of attacks on web-based media.

(Sources: Associated Press, Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists, misc. news media, IMS)