Freedom House head arrives amid media crackdown

Amid claims of a deepening crackdown on the country's independent media, the executive director of Freedom House, Jennifer Windsor, has arrived in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek. The watchdog group works extensively on promoting the worldwide expansion of political and economic freedoms. "The purpose of the visit is to conduct meetings with NGOs, journalists, human-rights defenders and government officials as well," Michael Goldfarb, the senior press officer of the US-based group, told IRIN from New York, adding that the immediate goal was to gain a clearer picture of the human-rights situation on the ground. Windsor's visit comes in the wake of several recent attacks on human-rights defenders and independent media in the tiny mountainous nation, once seen as an island of democracy among the five Central Asian countries following their independence in 1991. In a statement released by Freedom House earlier this week, Windsor called on Bishkek to immediately investigate the assaults and to initiate positive legislative changes to ensure a free and independent press. According to Goldfarb, her mission was really more of a fact-finding trip rather than one expecting concrete outcomes. "It's like going into the situation more on the ground, to have a better sense of what is happening in the country," he explained, adding that Windsor planned to hold talks on Friday with NGOs and various human-rights groups on how they could cooperate more effectively. But, given the growing number of problems being encountered by independent newspapers and other media outlets, Windsor's visit is a timely one. In addition to reported threats and assaults against various activists, recent press freedom violations include numerous lawsuits against newspapers, reportedly on trumped-up charges. Moya Stolitsa-Novosti newspaper, known for its criticism of the government and political corruption, has not been published since 22 May, with the entire print-run of its latest issue impounded by a court decision. "The seizure of the entire copy of the newspaper was motivated by the fact that we did not pay on the lawsuits against our newspaper," Gennadiy Kuzmin, the chief editor of the paper's economic section, told IRIN from Bishkek. Kuzmin argued that the two penalties - totalling about US $27,000 - were unreasonably high, and motivated by the authorities' sole aim to force the paper out of business. Bailiffs had already seized all its funds and equipment, he asserted. "Our newspaper doesn't publish, but the staff are coming to work every day, and we are waiting for our further destiny", he said, noting that they were now seeking ways out of the situation and would probably resort to publishing a new newspaper. Meanwhile, Moya Stolitsa-Novosti was not alone in its plight, Freedom House reported. Another independent newspaper, Delo Nomer, is facing similar bankruptcy as a result of government-initiated lawsuits, for violating the "honour and dignity" of officials. "Freedom House has already sent a letter to the Kyrgyz authorities calling for a moratorium on these unreasonable lawsuit demands against our paper and other independent publications," Kuzmin said, adding if the authorities responded positively, this would demonstrate the effectiveness of international pressure. Meanwhile, the head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Bishkek, Aydin Idil, has expressed his personal concern over the closure of an independent newspaper. "I am not happy to see such a development. Even though it is a legal process that stopped the circulation of a newspaper, personally, I do not welcome such a development", the he said.