According to Abdirasulova, the hearing will take place against the backdrop of an official conclusion from a UN working group, which recognized the arrest and detention of Tajibek kyzy as arbitrary and contrary to international norms.
The journalist, who is a mother of a minor child, faced a court's refusal to postpone the execution of the sentence, despite the possibility of such a measure under Kyrgyz law, human rights defenders note.
It is worth recalling that on January 16, 2024, mass arrests took place in Kyrgyzstan, resulting in the detention of 11 individuals connected to the Temirov LIVE and "Ayt, Ayt dese" projects. These journalists were accused of "calls for mass riots" in connection with their professional activities.
On October 10, 2024, the Leninsky District Court of Bishkek sentenced Mahabat Tajibek kyzy, head of Temirov LIVE, to 6 years in prison. On December 18, 2024, the Bishkek City Court upheld this sentence, and on February 25, 2025, the Supreme Court maintained it.
Human rights defenders emphasize that in its conclusion, the UN working group on arbitrary detention established that Kyrgyzstan violated 7 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and 6 articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. As a result, the group concluded that the imprisonment of Mahabat Tajibek kyzy was a consequence of her lawful exercise of the right to freedom of expression, journalistic activity, and investigation of corruption.
In light of the findings of the UN working group, Tajibek kyzy's lawyer submitted a petition to the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic to reopen the case based on new circumstances. Activists are calling on international human rights organizations, journalists, and media outlets to attend the court hearing as observers.
