The latest hearing in Bishkek involving four former employees of Kloop, one of Kyrgyzstan’s most prominent independent news outlets, has revealed a striking absence of credible evidence. Despite the government’s sweeping accusations that the staff aided calls for mass unrest, none of the prosecution’s witnesses were willing to back the charges. Instead, their testimony highlighted how thin and politically motivated the case appears to be, exposing the extent to which Kyrgyz authorities are willing to bend legal standards to silence critical journalism.

The trial, which resumed September 1 at the Pervomaisky District Court, centers on four individuals: cameramen Alexander Alexandrov and Zhoomart Duulatov, as well as two accountants whose primary responsibility was handling salaries. They stand accused of supporting unrest through their work at Kloop. But when six witnesses, including former employees and associates of the outlet, took the stand, their statements dismantled the prosecution’s narrative.

Aidai Erkebaeva, a former staffer, told the court she never worked on investigative journalism at all, instead focusing on environmental programming. The cameramen, she testified, had no role in political investigations and were confined to technical and creative work. As for the accountants, she underscored that their jobs were purely financial. “I never saw any calls for unrest,” Erkebaeva said, rejecting the notion that any of the accused had engaged in subversive activities.

Other witnesses echoed her assessment. Abdil Torobaev and Zarina Sydygalieva explained that their contributions related to promotion and social media rather than investigative work. They had never heard Alexandrov, Duulatov, or the accountants advocate........

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