International Freedom of Expression Exchange: The global network for free expression
1 October 2003
FREEDOM HOUSE, WAN URGE PROBE INTO JOURNALIST'S DEATH
Freedom House and the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) are calling on the government of Kyrgyzstan to launch an independent investigation into the death of journalist Ernest Nazalov, whose body was reportedly found in a river on 15 September in the region of Osh Oblast.
While local police said the journalist's body showed no signs of injury, Nazalov's father said his son's right hand was fractured and showed stab wounds. A reporter for "Kyrgyz Ruhu," a local newspaper, Nazalov was reportedly putting together an article in August about official corruption in Osh, Freedom House says.
A journalist at the Osh Media Resource Center reported that, two weeks before his death, Nazalov was physically assaulted by two individuals, who ran off with several documents.
The editor of "Civindem," a youth newspaper Nazalov used to work for, said the journalist may have uncovered incriminating evidence against high-level government officials in Osh at the time of his death.
Go to IFEX's website for updates on Kyrgyzstan: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/182/
Visit these links:
- Freedom House: http://www.freedomhouse.org/media/pressrel/092403.htm
- Committee to Protect Journalists: http://www.cpj.org/attacks02/europe02/kyrgyz.html
- Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org/europe/kyrgyzstan.php
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