NOVEMBER 1, 2024 — In a case against activist and blogger Aftandil Zhorobekov, a Kyrgyz court issued a ruling that found him guilty of charges related to calling for public protests over a controversial flag proposal, 24.KG reports.
Zhorobekov has been fined 70,000 soms (approximately 815 USD) after being convicted under Article 327 of the Kyrgyz Criminal Code, which addresses “Public calls for the violent seizure of power.” Human rights advocate Gulshaiyr Abdirasulova reported the verdict.
According to an earlier report by 24.KG, Zhorobekov’s arrest followed his outspoken opposition to proposed changes to the Kyrgyz flag, a move he condemned publicly on social media in December 2023. As the administrator of Bespredel.kg, a platform with over 125,000 followers, Zhorobekov has been a vocal critic of government policies and socio-political conditions in Kyrgyzstan. In a video posted on December 6, he questioned the necessity and cost of modifying the national flag and criticized the government’s lack of socioeconomic progress, announcing plans for a peaceful protest against the flag change on December 9. Authorities detained him on December 7.
The debate over Kyrgyzstan’s flag began in late September 2023, when lawmakers proposed altering its design, arguing that the sun depicted on the flag could be mistaken for a sunflower. The proposal was met with public criticism, including from some legislators who argued the country had more pressing issues to address and cited potential financial strains posed by a redesign.
Image: Turkic World
