Fatal beating of journalist by policeman not linked to his work

Interior ministry officials announced at a news conference that a local police officer has admitted to inflicting the injuries on freelance journalist Almazbek Tashiyev that resulted in his death on 12 July. The policeman knew Tashiyev well, had a personal dispute with him and, after beating him up, tried to make amends by offering him money several times while he was hospitalised, the officials said, adding that they now considered the investigation to be closed. A separate investigation will be needed to establish why the doctors in the hospital in the southern city of Osh failed to diagnose the injury that caused Tashiyev’s death. -------------------------- 13.07.2009 - Freelance reporter dies of injuries received in beating, police blamed Reporters Without Borders is shocked by freelance journalist Almazbek Tashiyev’s death in a hospital in the southern city of Osh on 12 July from the injuries he received when he was allegedly beaten up eight days earlier in the nearby town of Nookat by a police officer for unclear reasons. The authorities are investigating. “We are shocked by Tashiyev’s death,” Reporters Without Borders said, offering its condolences to his family and colleagues. “We hope the investigation will be independent and that it will establish the still unclear circumstances of the attack on Tashiyev on 4 July. His murder must not go unpunished. His assailants must be punished.” The press freedom organisation added: “A police officer has admitted to assaulting Tashiyev, contradicting the claims of Tashiyev’s relatives that he was beaten up by a group of policemen. Although the interior ministry says the assault was not related to the fact that he was journalist, we urge investigators not to rule out this possibility.” Tashiyev, who was still conscious when admitted to hospital, said he was beaten up by about 10 policemen in Jany-Bazar, a neighbourhood of Nookat. This claim was supported by relatives, including his brother, who said he witnessed the assault. Tashiyev was 32. Asker Sakybayeva, the editor of the Bishkek-based opposition weekly Agym, for which he often wrote, told Reporters Without Borders: “He was moderately critical of the Kyrgyz government and above all wrote about social problems affecting Bishkek (…) He had become less critical of the Kyrgyz government over the past six years.” The deterioration in the climate for the media in recent years has gained pace in the run-up to presidential elections scheduled for 23 July. Six journalists have been physically attacked since the start of the year. Tashiyev was the second journalist to be killed in Kyrgyzstan since 2007. Kyrgyzstan was ranked 111th out of 173 countries in the 2008 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.