Freelance reporter dies of injuries received in beating, police blamed
| Publisher | Reporters Without Borders |
| Publication Date | 14 July 2009 |
| Cite as | Reporters Without Borders, Freelance reporter dies of injuries received in beating, police blamed, 14 July 2009, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4a604bc11e.html [accessed 31 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Reporters Without Borders is shocked by freelance journalist Almazbek Tashiyev's death in a hospital in the southern city of Osh on 12 July from the injuries he received when he was allegedly beaten up eight days earlier in the nearby town of Nookat by a police officer for unclear reasons. The authorities are investigating.
"We are shocked by Tashiyev's death," Reporters Without Borders said, offering its condolences to his family and colleagues. "We hope the investigation will be independent and that it will establish the still unclear circumstances of the attack on Tashiyev on 4 July. His murder must not go unpunished. His assailants must be punished."
The press freedom organisation added: "A police officer has admitted to assaulting Tashiyev, contradicting the claims of Tashiyev's relatives that he was beaten up by a group of policemen. Although the interior ministry says the assault was not related to the fact that he was journalist, we urge investigators not to rule out this possibility."
Tashiyev, who was still conscious when admitted to hospital, said he was beaten up by about 10 policemen in Jany-Bazar, a neighbourhood of Nookat. This claim was supported by relatives, including his brother, who said he witnessed the assault. Tashiyev was 32.
Asker Sakybayeva, the editor of the Bishkek-based opposition weekly Agym, for which he often wrote, told Reporters Without Borders: "He was moderately critical of the Kyrgyz government and above all wrote about social problems affecting Bishkek (¦) He had become less critical of the Kyrgyz government over the past six years."
The deterioration in the climate for the media in recent years has gained pace in the run-up to presidential elections scheduled for 23 July. Six journalists have been physically attacked since the start of the year. Tashiyev was the second journalist to be killed in Kyrgyzstan since 2007.
Kyrgyzstan was ranked 111th out of 173 countries in the 2008 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.
