HRW condemns conviction of Kyrgyz whistle-blower as part of widening crackdown on critics

HRW condemns conviction of Kyrgyz whistle-blower as part of widening crackdown on critics

Human Rights Watch (HRW) voiced alarm on Friday over the conviction of Kyrgyz whistleblower Zhoomart Karabaev, calling it a troubling example of how Kyrgyzstan’s justice system punishes those who dare to expose corruption. His case, they warn, reflects a broader pattern of retaliatory prosecutions targeting government critics. Judge Nurdin Ibraimov of the Pervomaysky District Court found Karabaev guilty under Part 3 of Article 278 (“mass riots c…