Minister of Internal Affairs Ulan Niyazbekov addressed the recent arrest of 11 individuals from Temirov Live. He emphasized that not all detainees were journalists, with only two being identified as such. The rest were bloggers, with six lacking higher education. Seven were released under house arrest.
Niyazbekov stated that the arrests had no political motive and were based on spreading false information. He highlighted the importance of responsible journalism, citing that disseminating false information can incite panic in society. The Minister urged for a system akin to Europe and the US, where spreading misinformation can lead to legal consequences.
Following a search at Temirov Live's office on January 16, 11 current and former employees were detained. The Ministry of Internal Affairs initiated a criminal case for incitement to mass disorder based on a linguistic analysis of the content on the media outlets' social media pages.
Among those detained were individuals like Mahabat Tajibek kyzy, Sapar Akunbekov, Azamat Ishenbekov, Saipidin Sultanaliyev, Aktilek Kaparov, Tynystan Asypbekov, and others. Some were released under house arrest, while others remain in custody pending further legal proceedings.
