The main goal of this competition is to develop investigative journalism and improve its quality, as well as to attract young authors to this genre. In addition, the competition aims to uncover facts of corruption and violations of legislation.
Journalists, media organizations, freelancers, activists, bloggers, and students can participate. Works will be evaluated based on multiple criteria, including the relevance of the topic, originality of approach, completeness of presentation, availability of evidence, exclusivity of information, multimedia elements, as well as adherence to professional and ethical standards.
The winner or team of authors of the best investigation will be awarded a prize dedicated to Ulanbek Egizbaev.
All links to published materials must be sent by January 31, 2026, to the email address [email protected]. The application should include the author's name, full title of the editorial office or organization, and a brief description of the work. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
The competition accepts materials published from January 1 to December 31, 2025. One participant can submit any number of works, but unpublished materials are not eligible for the competition.
Photo from the archive. Ulanbek Egizbaev
Ulanbek Egizbaev was a renowned Kyrgyz journalist who engaged in investigative activities.
He passed away in July 2018 at Lake Issyk-Kul. According to official forensic examination data, the cause of his death was drowning.
Egizbaev's death caused a wide public outcry. In 2018, he was posthumously awarded the state medal "Erdik" for his contribution to the development of journalism and active civic stance.
In his honor, the Ulanbek Egizbaev Award was established, which is given for the most significant journalistic investigations in Kyrgyzstan.
