Paris, 12 June 2003

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) expresses its deepest concern about the recent closure of Moya Stolitsa, the last important independent newspaper in Kyrgyzstan.

On June 11, 2003, the chief editor of Moya Stolitsa, Alexander Kim, publicly announced the forced cessation of Moya Stolitsa's publication. Moya Stolitsa has been notified of bankruptcy, after judges rendered their verdicts concerning 31 lawsuits against the newspaper. The newspaper was sentenced to pay 4 millions soms (95000$) as a compensation for moral damage, including 1 million to the Prime Minister, 500 000 soms to officer Sulataev from Tax inspection, 100 000 soms to the Ministry of Interior, and other plaintiffs from the Committee on State Property, Champaign Plant, Issyk-Kul district administration, and others. Moya Stolitsa was accused of spreading separatist ideas, disseminating false information and insulting citizens' sense of patriotism.

The newspaper has ceased its publication since May 23, 2003, and saw its property confiscated, after the non-payment by its publishing house Advokat, of a 5000 soms fine in favor of the citizen A.Eliseev, known as having lodged many complaints against independent and opposition members of civil society in the past. After the confiscation of the Moya Stolitsa's issues, editorial staff immediately appealed to the court. On June 6, Lenin Regional Court ruled in favour of the plaintiffs.

Moya Stolitsa was the last important independent newspaper, as Kyrgyz Ordo, another independent newspaper, was closed down on 10 January 2003 by court order, after a complaint lodged by Aydarbek Duyshaliev, a civil servant. The newspaper had contested the validity of Mr Duyshaliev's qualifications. The paper was initially sentenced to a fine of $7,800, but the judge subsequently decided to order its closure.

The FIDH considers the closure of Moya Stolitsa to be a flagrant illustration of the deterioration of the human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan, in particular as regards freedoms of expression and opinion. The FIDH recalls that administrative harassment and judicial proceedings are often used as a tool to silence any kind of opposition or criticism to the government.

The FIDH calls on the Kyrgyz authorities to immediately put an end to such practises by conforming with international and regional human rights instruments that guarantee universally recognised freedoms, in particular the Charter of Paris and the Documents adopted under the OSCE’s Human Dimension, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The FIDH calls on the European Union to urge the Kyrgyz authorities to conform with their human rights commitments, in particular on the occasion of the next EU – Kyrgyzstan Co-operation Council, that will take place on the 22 July, 2003.