In late May, Kyrgyz security forces conducted coordinated raids on the homes of eight current and former employees of the independent media outlet Kloop. Operatives from the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) simultaneously entered apartments in Bishkek and Osh.
Video journalist Alexander Alexandrov and former cameraman Joomart Duulatov were detained and remain in custody on charges of “public calls for mass unrest” under Article 278 of the Criminal Code. The other six individuals were released after hours of interrogation but were compelled to sign non-disclosure agreements.
According to Kloop’s editorial staff, five minutes before the raids began, the outlet received an anonymous email with the subject line: “You have crossed the line.” The incident drew swift condemnation from human rights groups. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) demanded an immediate end to what it described as persecution, while other international organizations called for the charges to be dropped.
From Student Project to Investigative Powerhouse
Founded in 2007 by journalists Bektur Iskender and Rinat Tukhvatushin, Kloop began as a training platform for aspiring reporters. The outlet gained prominence during its around-the-clock reporting on the 2010 uprising. It later evolved into a leading investigative publication, exposing high-profile cases such as the 2017 “Samaragate” voter data scandal and the 2019 financial network linked to customs official Raiymbek Matraimov.
Despite legal threats, including lawsuits from the Matraimov family that were later withdrawn, Kloop’s reporting bolstered its credibility and amplified its visibility, making it increasingly unwelcome in official circles.
Escalating Crackdown
Tensions escalated in August 2023 when the Bishkek Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit to dissolve the Kloop Media Foundation, accusing it of “negative coverage of government activities.” The Oktyabrsky District Court approved the request in February 2024, and the Supreme Court upheld the decision that July in a closed session. The ruling remained classified for a month.
The Ministry of Culture subsequently ordered Kloop’s website to be blocked within Kyrgyzstan, despite assurances that the foundation’s removal from the official register would not impede freedom of expression. In response, the editorial team relocated servers abroad and registered a new legal entity. Nevertheless, the authorities resumed the pressure in January 2024 with searches targeting other independent outlets, including Temirov Live and 24.kg. By May, the security forces were back at Kloop.
The investigation now alleges that Kloop continued to operate illegally post-liquidation, publishing materials purportedly aimed at “inciting public discontent.” This echoes the case against Temirov Live, where several journalists were imprisoned, including director Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, who is serving a six-year sentence. Human rights advocates argue the charges are part of a broader strategy to criminalize dissent.
International Reactions
The arrests have provoked international condemnation. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Civil Rights Defenders, and Reporters Without Borders were among more than a dozen NGOs that issued a joint statement decrying a “new wave of repression” threatening the future of independent journalism in Kyrgyzstan.
The statement urged the immediate release of detained journalists and called on international partners, particularly the European Union, to adopt a more assertive stance.
Domestic Voices
Amid the foreign outcry, the voices of Kyrgyz citizens reflect the extent of public concern.
Akmaral, a 25-year-old freelance designer from Bishkek, recalled how a former Kloop video editor and his partner were arbitrarily detained: “They even took people who had long since left Kloop or were just acquaintances. Some were forced to record coerced ‘confessions’ renouncing journalism,” she told The Times of Central Asia.
Akmaral emphasized the influence of Kloop: “They exposed corruption in state security, illegal land deals, and even implicated the president. The courts couldn’t silence them, nor could the internet blocks.”
Marat, a 30-year-old driver from the Osh region, told TCA, “I don’t follow politics, but when the only site exposing corruption is blocked, you know anyone can be silenced next.”
Gulnara, a 23-year-old dance teacher, said: “These are not criminals. The injustice is coming from the state. It’s painful to watch our country regress.”
Beksultan, a student programmer in Bishkek, summed up the atmosphere: “You don’t have to be a journalist anymore. Make an election app or share an article, and you’re an enemy of the state.”
What’s Next?
As of June 24, 2025, Alexandrov and Duulatov remain in GKNB custody. Legal appeals have failed within Kyrgyzstan, prompting Kloop’s lawyers to prepare a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee, a process that could take years.
Despite the ongoing crackdown, Kloop continues its work from abroad. The site remains accessible in Kyrgyzstan via mirror domains, and the team has opened a podcast studio in Georgia. Kloop’s leadership has pledged to persist, promising to deliver “the most incisive investigations, the most objective news, and the boldest commentary.”
