25.11.2008 :REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS / REPORTERS SANS FRONTIERES
Press release/Communique de presse
25/11/08
English/francais/Russian follows
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday 25 November 2008
KYRGYZSTAN
Officials again rule out Alisher Sayipov’s journalism as motive for his murder
Reporters Without Borders is disturbed that a Kyrgyz interior ministry official said at a news conference in Bishkek on 21 November that investigators have ruled out any possibility that Alisher Sayipov’s work as a journalist was the motive for his October 2007 murder in the southern city of Osh. No clear evidence was presented to support this position.
“Given the views expressed by Sayipov in his journalism and the circumstances of his death, we are more than sceptical about the validity of this decision,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The direction recently taken by the investigation, suggesting that the former foreign minister’s son was involved, reinforces our concern. We urge the authorities to act transparently and share the evidence that led them to these conclusions.”
The press freedom organisation added: “We have not forgotten that it was only thanks to the perseverance of Sayipov’s family and the journalistic community that the investigation was resumed after being abandoned several times. The desire of the Kyrgyz authorities to solve this case is far from being established. We will not be fobbed off with scapegoats.”
Deputy interior minister Dmitri Fedorov announced at a press conference on 21 November that the Sayipov murder investigation had been extended because new evidence had come to light. But he said his department was no longer considering the hypothesis that “Alisher Sayipov was gunned down for a political reason” and added that the son of former foreign minister Alikbek Djekshenkulov, now a government opponent, is wanted in connection with the case.
According to the interior ministry, ballistic tests on the bullets extracted from Sayipov’s body established that they were fired from a Makarov pistol now in possession of the police. The gun was allegedly used in a clash between two groups of youths outside a Bishkek nightclub called X.O in February. The ministry says Bekkul Djekshenkulov, the former foreign minister’s son, led one of these groups.
Alikbek Djekshenkulov responds that these allegations are designed to discredit him and insists that his son had nothing to do with the Sayipov murder. He said his son was questioned as a witness in the X.O. case and that the ballistic test results, which had been known for several months, were being used now in an attempt to undermine the opposition. He added that his son is now abroad.
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COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE
Mardi 25 novembre 2008
kirghizstan
Enquete sur la mort d’Alisher Saipov : la piste professionnelle une nouvelle fois ecartee
Reporters sans frontieres exprime son inquietude apres les declarations d’un porte-parole du ministere de l’Interieur kirghize, lors d’une conference de presse organisee a Bichkek, le 21 novembre 2008, ecartant la piste professionnelle des motifs possibles de l’assassinat d’Alisher Saipov, sans apporter d‘elements decisifs.
“Etant donnees les positions defendues par le journaliste et les conditions de sa mort, nous sommes plus que sceptiques sur le bien-fonde de cette decision. L’orientation recente de l’enquete, mettant en avant l’implication du fils de l’ancien ministre des Affaires etrangeres, alimente notre inquietude. Nous demandons aux autorites de faire preuve de transparence et de faire connaitre les elements de preuve qui les ont conduites a ces conclusions”, a declare l’organisation de defense de la liberte de la presse.
“Nous n’oublions pas que seule la perseverance des proches d’Alisher Saipov et de la communaute journalistique a permis que l’enquete soit reprise apres plusieurs interruptions. La volonte des autorites kirghizes d’elucider cette affaire est loin d’etre etablie. Nous ne nous satisferons pas de la designation de boucs emissaires” , a conclu Reporters sans frontieres.
Le 21 novembre 2008, a Bichkek (capitale), Dmitri Fedorov, vice-ministre de l’Interieur, a declare que l’enquete sur la mort du journaliste etait prolongee en raison de l’apparition de nouveaux elements. Il a precise que ses services avaient ecarte la piste professionnelle et n’examinaient plus l’hypothese selon laquelle ’“Alisher Saipov a ete abattu pour une raison politique”. Il a ensuite ajoute que le fils d’un opposant et ancien ministre des Affaires etrangeres, Alikbek Djekchenkoulov, etait recherche dans le cadre de cette affaire.
Selon le ministere de l’Interieur, l’expertise balistique realisee sur les projectiles preleves sur le corps du journaliste a revele que ceux-ci avaient ete tires a partir d’un pistolet Makarov, en possession de la police. Cette arme aurait ete utilisee lors d’une altercation ayant oppose deux groupes de jeunes en fevrier 2008, pres d’une boite de nuit de la capitale. Le ministere de l’Interieur affirme que Bekkoul Djekchenkoulov, le fils de l’opposant, dirige l’un de ces groupes.
L’ancien ministre des Affaires etrangeres kirghize estime, quant a lui, etre vise a travers ces accusations et a dementi toute implication de son fils dans l’assassinat. Il a precise que celui-ci avait ete entendu en qualite de temoin dans l’affaire du club “X.O.”, et ajoute que les resultats de l’expertise etaient connus depuis plusieurs mois, mais que ceux-ci etaient utilises aujourd’hui dans le but d’affaiblir l’opposition. Selon son pere, Bekkoul Djekchenkoulov se trouverait a l’etranger.
Elsa Vidal
Europe & Post-Soviet countries desk
Reporters Without Borders
International Secretariat
47 Vivienne Street
75002 Paris
Tel. : (33) 1 44 83 84 67
Fax : (33) 1 45 23 11 51
Skype : europarsf