Interpol has turned down Kyrgyzstan's appeal for a “red notice” concerning journalist Rinat Tukhvatshin.
In the midst of a crackdown on press liberties, Kyrgyzstan sought an Interpol Red Notice for Rinat Tukhvatshin, the co-founder of Kloop, seemingly aiming to silence him internationally.
Interpol has denied a plea from Kyrgyz authorities to issue a global arrest warrant for the co-creator of one of the nation’s foremost independent news sources, deeming it politically driven.
As per OCCRP, Kyrgyzstan requested Interpol to issue a so-called Red Notice for Rinat Tukhvatshin, co-founder of Kloop, an acclaimed media organization and a component of the OCCRP global network. A Red Notice mandates authorities in participating nations to detain the sought-after individual for potential extradition.
A spokesperson from Interpol stated on Friday that a request from Kyrgyzstan had been received but subsequently denied.
“Interpol's charter firmly prohibits the utilization of our mechanism for political objectives; therefore, we refused the Red Notice appeal,” remarked Samuel Heath, Interpol’s Communications Director.
However, the “red notice” pertaining to Tukhvatshin was apparent to officials in at least one country on Thursday and was shown as “pending review” within another nation’s framework.
Heath refrained from commenting on how or why the notice was distributed despite its rejection.
The actions directed at Tukhvatshin transpire amidst an ongoing endeavor to quell autonomous journalism under President Sadyr Japarov, who assumed power in 2020.
Kloop released inquiries into corruption on the Kyrgyz border and transgressions during the 2021 presidential vote, among other subjects. Displeased with this coverage, the administration initiated legal action against the media outlet, and a Bishkek court decreed its closure in February 2024, asserting that reporting on corruption and similar offenses “impacts people’s psychological well-being” by distressing them with “unfavorable information.”
“I am deeply disheartened that Kyrgyz officials have chosen to misuse the Interpol system. I fear this will tarnish our country’s image,” voiced Tukhvatshin, who has resided overseas since the repression escalated.
“This structure was established to locate perilous criminals worldwide, and our officials opted to employ it to prosecute journalists—in my situation. I am unafraid as I have not committed any wrongdoing. Nonetheless, I feel sorrow for the country,” he further stated.
Leyla Nazgul Seitbek, a human rights advocate from Kyrgyzstan currently living in Vienna, also conveyed that the Red Notice request constituted an abuse of the Interpol system.
“They are now endeavoring to exploit every means available—including the misuse of Interpol’s authority—to apprehend Rinat, bring him back, and suppress him. They aim to prevent him from conveying the truth or articulating his opinions from abroad. This is being executed to eliminate a critic,” she communicated to OCCRP.
Seitbek pointed out that Kyrgyz authorities have previously resorted to comparable tactics.
“Authoritarian systems frequently take advantage of Interpol, and this is well recognized by international bodies,” she stressed.
On October 27, a Kyrgyz court declared Tukhvatshin and several of his associates “extremists.” The judgment also extended to Kloop editor-in-chief Anna Kapushenko, director Galina Gaparova, Temirov Live editor-in-chief Bolot Temirov, and the social media accounts of both publications.
Based on the court’s verdict, the prosecutor’s office affirmed that the media projects Temirov Live, Ait Ait Dese, and Kloop—all autonomous media sources—manifested a “criminal communicative intention geared toward overthrowing the current government.”
In 2024, law enforcement conducted searches of the residences of 11 Temirov Live personnel and the editorial office. All were accused of “instigating mass disturbances.” Seven were later exonerated, two received suspended sentences of three years, and two—Azamat Ishenbekov and Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy—were given prison terms of five and six years, respectively. Ishenbekov was granted clemency in April 2025, but Tazhibek kyzy remains incarcerated.
The operation against investigative reporters intensified in May 2025, when 10 individuals affiliated with Kloop were taken into custody. The majority were released the same day, except for two camera operators—Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Zhumart Dulatov—who subsequently received five-year prison sentences, while two former accountants were given three-year suspended sentences.
International organizations denounced the repression. Amnesty International characterized it as “an evident instance of the destruction of independent journalism,” whereas the Committee to Protect Journalists portrayed it as “a disgraceful chapter in the history of contemporary Kyrgyzstan.”
“Kyrgyzstan has illustrated repeatedly that it will pursue any means to persecute independent journalists. Reporters overseas and within the country face threats and arrests. This recent occurrence serves as a stark reminder that no one is immune,” stated OCCRP Editor-in-Chief Miranda Patrucic.
