The newspaper "LITSA" (faces)

Bishkek, two days before the presidential election

All the print houses and printing firms of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakstan have refused to print an issue in turn of independent newspaper "Litsa", which was supposed to be issued on Monday 23 October. Director of the print house of "Erkin Tooh", which has always printed the newspaper was fired on Friday 20 October to be substituted by an employee of the press service of the President G. Murzakhmdova, who on Monday hiding in the office of the director of the "Uchkun" print house (Kanybek Imanaliev - former press secretary of the President). She avoided any meetings with the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Bermet Bukasheva. However employees during private talks were open saying that they had been instructed not to print the newspaper on political grounds. Formally the censorship is prohibited in Kyrgyzstan, therefore an official motivation of the refusal referred to lack of paper. All print8ing houses are under supervision of the Government. All private firms rendering printing services including the smallest ones were intimidated by law enforcement and the Ministry of Security, which demanded their managers to sign the documents certifying that they would not produce materials of political character containing criticism addressed to Akaev.

The editorial staff had to leave for Kazakstan to continue printing the newspaper. However all the print houses of Kazakstan were instructed not to print papers of Kyrgyzstan under any excuse. Today, on 27 October 2000 having exhausted all efforts to print the newspaper, the editorial staff had to print the newspaper by means of printers and copying machines. The "Litsa" independent newspaper (founded and run by Bermet Bukasheva) has been issued in Bishkek since 1998. The newspaper has been involved in journalistic investigation of corruption and other unlawful actions undertaken inside the government institutions, including Ministry of Interior and National Security. The newspaper independently covered all the processes and events in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakstan. This is the only newspaper left to publish materials after numerous persecutions targeted at it and its counterparts.

In the recent issue of the newspaper, which was not given an opportunity to get printed contains materials covering information on dirty technologies of presidential campaign working for the President Akaev. The appeal and statements of candidates for presidency Atambaev, Tekebaev and Eshimkanov relative to violations of the law by the Government on falsified publications in mass media, an appeal of F. Kulov to officers, sergeants and low rank officers of law enforcement and the Ministry of National Security of Kyrgyz Republic, independent rating of candidates for presidency, coverage of designed technology of falsifications are provided in the last issue as well.

Sincerely

R. Dyryldaev
Chairman of the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights in exile
c/o IHF
Austria, Vienna
A- 1080 Wickenburgg. 14/7
tel: 43 1 408 88 22; 43 1 956 58 94; Fax+43 1 408 88 22-50

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Posted November 1, 2000 © Eurasianet
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