Mahabat Tajibek kyzy. Photo: image from knews.kg
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has called on the Kyrgyz authorities to immediately release Mahabat Tajibek kyzy, director of the online projects Temirov Live and “Ayt Ayt Dese,” who was convicted in October 2024 on charges of inciting mass unrest. The appeal is outlined in a report by UN experts who reviewed her case.
According to the authors of the analysis, seven articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and six articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights were violated in issuing the guilty verdict.
The experts argue that she was prosecuted for her professional journalistic work, during which she did not break the law. Her arrest followed investigations into government corruption and criticism of national leadership.
“When deprivation of liberty results from the expression of political views, there is a strong presumption that such deprivation of liberty also constitutes discrimination on political grounds,” the report states.
Given this, UN representatives call not only for the criminal case against Tajibek kyzy to be dropped, but also for her to be compensated and provided other measures to restore her rights.
They also urge the Kyrgyz government to conduct a full and independent investigation into the circumstances of her “arbitrary deprivation of liberty” and to take action against officials responsible for violating her rights.
In its report, the Working Group calls on Kyrgyzstan to end pressure on independent media and urgently implement legal reforms to bring Article 278 (“Mass Riots”) of the Criminal Code into compliance with international standards.
Her husband, Bolot Temirov, explained to the outlet Kloop why the report, dated 20 October 2025, is being published only now. First, international bodies typically take a long time to review cases; second, experts conduct detailed examinations; and third, they must notify the authorities and wait for a response. “Our [Kyrgyz] authorities have not provided any response during this entire period,” Temirov said.
Eleven Temirov Live staff members were detained on 16 January last year, accused of calling for protests and mass unrest. All were initially placed in pretrial detention for two months, until 13 March. Seven were later moved to house arrest under travel restrictions, while four remained in custody: Mahabat Tajibek kyzy; Azamat Ishenbekov, an akyn (singer-storyteller) with “Ayt Ayt Dese”; and journalists Ak tilek Kaparov and Ayke Beyshekeeva.
On 10 October 2024, Tajibek kyzy was sentenced to six years in prison, Ishenbekov to five years. Kaparov and Beyshekeeva received three years of probation. The remaining defendants were acquitted for lack of evidence.
