The hearing will take place against the backdrop of a recent conclusion by a UN working group, which recognized the arrest and detention of Tajibek kyzy as arbitrary and contrary to international law norms.
The journalist, who is a mother of a minor child, faced a court's refusal to postpone the execution of her sentence, although such an option is provided for by Kyrgyz legislation, human rights activists note.
It should be reminded that on January 16, 2024, mass arrests occurred in the Kyrgyz Republic, during which 11 people working on the Temirov LIVE and "Ait, Ait dese" projects were detained. Journalists were charged with "calling for mass riots" in connection with their professional activities.
On October 10, 2024, the Lenin District Court of Bishkek sentenced Mahabat Tajibek kyzy to 6 years in prison. On December 18, 2024, the Bishkek City Court upheld this decision, and on February 25, 2025, the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic left the sentence unchanged.
Human rights activists emphasize that in its conclusion, the UN working group on arbitrary detention found 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 imprisonment of Mahabat Tajibek kyzy was recognized as a direct consequence of her lawful exercise of freedom of speech, journalistic activity, and investigations into corruption.
In light of the UN working group's conclusion, Tajibek kyzy's lawyer has appealed to the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic with a petition to reopen the case based on new circumstances. Activists have also called on international human rights organizations, journalists, and media outlets, both local and international, to attend the court hearing as observers.
