Kyrgyzstan to switch off foreign TV channels for elections

Accoridng to Itar-Tass, campaigning of the main contenders for the main political office for which 25 people are vying, according to the latest reports, will begin on September 25. According to local laws, foreign media have no right to participate in this process.

"There are several reasons why we had to accept the decision," explained representative of the Ala-TV cable company Vasily Goncharov. "By law, we must record all programs of foreign TV channels, filter them for campaigning for any of the candidates, to remove such fragments and then release the recorded programs, but we just do not have such equipment." In addition, the company has no professionals who "could keep track of the content." "Above all, under contract with foreign channels, we have no right to make changes to their programs," Goncharov said.

Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan's cable TV companies are facing economic sanctions for switching off foreign channels.

Representative of the Association of Communications Operators of Kyrgyzstan Dzhyrgalbek Kasymov said that the country's cable television companies have already turned to the Constitutional Chamber with a request to recognise as illegal the situation that violates people's right to free access to information. Several days ago, a similar appeal was sent to the Central Election Commission (CEC) from where it was redirected to the parliament. However, the MPs have still given no answer to this request, he said.

At the same time, according to experts, the people of Kyrgyzstan during this period will be able to watch foreign TV channels by satellite television and on the Internet, and the authorities have no technical capability to deprive them of this opportunity.

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