Bishkek court adjourns Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy retrial to October 6

September 30, 2026 at 09:01 PM2 min

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The Leninsky District Court in Bishkek adjourned the retrial of journalist Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy on September 30 after state forensic experts failed to appear. The hearing was rescheduled for October 6. The defense asked the judge to summon an independent expert if the state experts miss the next session.

Key Facts

The Leninsky District Court in Bishkek adjourned the retrial of journalist Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy on September 30, 2026, after state forensic experts failed to appear.
The next hearing is scheduled for October 6, 2026.
One expert is on sick leave, another is on a business trip, and a third expert whose conclusion the defense considers illegal has resigned and his whereabouts are unknown.
On October 10, 2024, the Leninsky District Court sentenced Tazhibek kyzy to six years in prison; in March 2026, the Supreme Court sent the case for review based on newly discovered circumstances.
In October 2025, the Oktyabrsky District Court declared the information materials of Temirov LIVE and 'Ait, ait dese' extremist and banned their activities in Kyrgyzstan.

Hearing Adjournment

The Leninsky District Court in Bishkek, under Judge Temirbek Mamatov, continued the retrial of journalist Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy on September 30. Experts from the Forensic Expert Service under the Ministry of Justice did not appear at the hearing. The court adjourned the session to October 6. A prosecutor's representative said one expert remains on sick leave, another is on a business trip, and a third expert, whose conclusion the defense considers illegal, has resigned and his whereabouts are unknown.

Defense Request

The defense asked Judge Mamatov to summon an independent expert first if the Forensic Expert Service experts fail to appear again. The request was made during the September 30 hearing after the state experts' absence.

Case Background

On October 10, 2024, the Leninsky District Court sentenced Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy to six years in prison. Subsequent instances upheld the sentence, but in March 2026 the Supreme Court sent the case for review based on newly discovered circumstances. Tazhibek kyzy was released from custody under a written undertaking not to leave the country. The criminal case stems from January 2024 events, when police detained 11 journalists, activists, and staff linked to Temirov LIVE and 'Ait, ait dese' media projects on charges related to mass riots. Tazhibek kyzy has not admitted guilt. In October 2025, the Oktyabrsky District Court declared the information materials of Temirov LIVE and 'Ait, ait dese' extremist and banned their activities in Kyrgyzstan. At the first hearing, the court did not allow the journalist to travel to London to receive an award from the Amal Clooney Foundation.