Media rights protection groups call bank accounts freezing pressure on media organizations

AKIPRESS.COM - Several organizations protecting rights of journalists made a statement in connection with the defamation lawsuit of the Matraimovs against Azattyk, Kloop, 24.kg, and journalist Ali Toktakunov. The organizations said the lawsuit was filed with the purpose to intimidate all other media organizations so that they won't cover this topic. The ruling of the Sverdlovskiy district court is pressure on concrete media organizations which activities are blocked now.
The Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic says any restriction of human rights and freedoms should be set by the law, should have lawful purpose and be proportionate to set restrictions. The right to freedom of thought and opinion set forth by the Constitution should not be restricted anyhow, the statement said.
"A claimant can demand any damage, But the court will decide whether to sustain a claim or not. The court can not and should not make media organizations bankrupt... The court should levy the compensation of moral damage that will be proportionate to the caused damage, the damage should be proved by the claimant yet," the statement added.