Cholpon Orozobekova, editor-in-chief of leading Kyrgyzstan newspaper De Facto, is seeking political asylum in a European country. She was forced to emigrate with her husband—also a well-known journalist in Kyrgyzstan—and their two small children because of several criminal charges against her, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has reported.
Orozobekova, 33, worked as a freelancer for RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service from 2002-2007, often writing touchingly about the lives of ordinary people in Kyrgyzstan. She fled, in fact, not because of legal persecution but because of constant threats made against her and out of fear for the safety of her family.
The RFE/RL report said: [Link]
"I’m not afraid of their threats; the authorities want to stop our newspaper's reporting on corruption and nepotism in the country's top echelons," Orozobekova told her colleagues. "Some influential people sent an ultimatum—that I had to cooperate with them, to keep publishing our newspaper but with completely different content. I refused to do so, so we’ll see.”
De Facto was launched in March 2007 and in a very short time became the most popular Kyrgyz-language newspaper in the country.
Several NGOs reported in a joint statement released last month in Bishkek that nine journalists and human rights activists from Kyrgyzstan have received or have sought political asylum in the West in the last two years, including Orozobekova. Two of the journalists—Kairat Birimkulov and Turat Bektenov—had been severely beaten and constantly threatened by unknown people. Others were facing prison terms for participating in opposition meetings and protests.
