Photo courtesy of knews.kg
The Oktyabrsky District Court of Bishkek has sentenced local resident Baktybek Moldaliev to three years in a penal colony for reposting content from Kloop, an outlet whose publications are designated as «extremist» in Kyrgyzstan. Azattyk Asia reported the verdict, citing the convict's wife, Elvira Zhusupova.
Moldaliev, an active Facebook user, was detained in May of this year and placed in a Bishkek pre-trial detention facility. Authorities initially launched a criminal case against him under Part 3 of Article 278 («Calls for mass unrest») of the Kyrgyz Criminal Code.
A subsequent expert assessment found no incitement to unrest in his posts. Consequently, nearly two months later, investigators reclassified the charges under Part 1 of Article 332 («Production and distribution of extremist materials») of the Criminal Code.
According to human rights advocate Rita Karasartova, authorities prosecuted Moldaliev because he read articles on Kloop, Ait Ait Dese, and Temirov Live, openly criticized officials on social media, and shared content from these blacklisted outlets with other users. The conviction specifically stemmed from sharing Kloop's reporting, although court records do not specify which exact post led to his imprisonment.
Moldaliev maintained his innocence. In October, while held in pre-trial detention, he sent a letter to his family decrying the injustice of facing criminal penalties for speaking out against corruption and urging the government to align the Kyrgyz Criminal Code with international human rights standards.
In October of last year, a Bishkek court ruled that content published by Kloop, Ait Ait Dese, and Temirov Live, as well as the activities of their founders, was «extremist."
