New pressure on news outlets in Kyrgyzstan is intimidating independent-minded journalists, media rights activists say.

The troubles began on March 10 when several news websites focusing on Central Asia became unavailable. All had reported critically on alleged connections between businessman Eugene Gourevitch and President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s son Maxim, a top official at the Central Agency for Development, Investment and Innovation. Gourevitch is wanted in Italy for financial crimes.
For over a week, the news website Ferghana.ru, the website of the Belyi Parus newspaper («White Sail»), along with opposition members’ blogs, were unavailable. Broadcasts of Radio Liberty’s Kyrgyz service and the BBC’s Kyrgyz service have also been interrupted. Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov claimed to be unaware of the troubles.
The pressure appears to have emboldened the opposition. At a demonstration on March 17, the United People’s Movement, an umbrella organization, nominated widely respected former foreign minister Roza Otunbaeva to be its leader, and called for Maxim Bakiyev to step down from the development agency position.
The night before, on March 16, authorities had seized all 7,000 copies of the Kyrgyz-language opposition newspaper «Forum» at the printing facility, and detained six members of the paper’s editorial team for questioning.
Independent bloggers have complained to EurasiaNet of increasing harassment from authorities.
For the first time, authorities are seeking out and pressuring Kyrgyz-language media outlets, says Dinara Oshurahunova, head of the coalition for democracy and civil society. Previously only Russian-language outlets faced such harassment.
«The Kyrgyz language media was not so persecuted before because its criticism [used metaphorical] tales and other style of writing,» she told EurasiaNet.org. «It was not so sensitive. And now, all of the independent media that write and publish about recent scandals, about the opposition protests ? about the increase of [energy] tariffs are being closed down.»
Oshurahunova predicted the crackdown would backfire. «Kyrgyzstan is going to have more dissatisfaction; day by day it will grow. If those in power think that by blocking websites and [seizing] newspapers, nobody will know anything, they are mistaken. People talk and will tell each other,» she added.
The recent troubles follow increasing violence against journalists associated with opposition papers. Last year, at least two Kyrgyz journalists were killed and nine others attacked.
Ferghana.ru reports that since the blockings began, the «majority of local news agencies» have stepped up self-censorship.
«Press freedom violations seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity,» media watchdog Reporters Without Borders noted in a March 17 statement. «By harassing independent and opposition media and allowing those responsible for physical attacks on journalists to go unpunished, the authorities are assuming a decisive share of the blame for the extremely worrying deterioration in the situation.»
The OSCE, Freedom House, and, unusually, the Russian Embassy in Bishkek have also reportedly asked the Kyrgyz foreign ministry to lift pressure on the press.
Posted March 22, 2010 © Eurasianet
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Источник: http://eurasianet.org/departments/civilsociety/articles/eav032210.shtml