Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan ranked 146th of 180 countries in the 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index, with a score of 35.06, down two positions from 144th and 37.46 in 2025. The 2025 result had itself represented a fall of 24 places from 120th in 2024 and was, at the time, the country’s lowest recorded position. Reporters Without Borders says Kyrgyzstan, formerly a relative exception for press freedom in Central Asia, has experienced a significant increase in pressure on the media since 2022. It describes the government as controlling traditional media while seeking to extend its influence over private outlets.

The legal framework tightened substantially during the review period. The Law on Mass Media, No. 188 of 6 August 2025, in force since 23 August, requires media outlets, including online resources, to register with the authorities and limits foreign ownership to 35 per cent. Although the law prohibits censorship and contains formal protections against interference in editorial activity, media freedom organisations have criticised its mandatory registration system, foreign ownership restrictions and broadly worded content provisions.

Two separate sets of amendments to the Code of Offences should be distinguished. Law No. 30 of 27 January 2025, effective from 10 February, reintroduced administrative liability for libel and insult in mass media and online. Law No. 135 of 8 July 2025, effective from 22 July, created a separate offence covering the dissemination through mass media or the internet of false information that causes disruption to public order, infringes the rights or legitimate interests of individuals or organisations, or harms legally protected interests of society or the state, where the conduct does not amount to a criminal offence. Both provisions carry fines of KGS 20,000 for individuals and KGS 65,000 for legal entities. Police prepare the offence reports and courts determine the cases.

The Digital Code, No. 178 of 31 July 2025, effective from 6 February 2026, introduced statutory transparency requirements for certain uses of artificial intelligence.

State Media Monitor maps three organisations in Kyrgyzstan. All are classified State-Controlled, and none sits in the independent family.

The National Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation, known as UTRK, operates six national television channels, three radio services and seven regional operations. ELTR operates two television channels and one radio service from bases in Bishkek and Osh. Kabar is the national news agency, publishing in six languages.

A common pattern runs through all three. Each governing instrument contains language suggesting institutional autonomy, editorial freedom or professional standards, but none establishes an effective mechanism for enforcing those principles against state control.

UTRK’s 2022 governing law guarantees freedom to seek, receive, produce and distribute information and prohibits censorship. The same legislation, however, repealed the law governing its public broadcasting predecessor, eliminated the supervisory board model and placed appointment and dismissal of the General Director with the President.

ELTR’s charter states that the company organises and conducts its activities independently of state bodies and institutions. The Cabinet of Ministers is nevertheless its founder, and the Chair of the Cabinet appoints and dismisses the General Director for a five-year term. Erlan Dogdurbekov was appointed by the Prime Minister in October 2020, and his employment contract was renewed for another five years in October 2025.

Kabar’s governing regulation formally places it outside the system of executive power and invokes objectivity and comprehensive coverage. At the same time, it designates Kabar as the coordinator of Kyrgyzstan’s domestic and international information policy, while the President appoints and dismisses its Director.

State Media Monitor identified no independent supervisory body, protected appointment procedure or external enforcement mechanism at any of the three organisations. The general anti-censorship and non-interference provisions of the 2025 Mass Media Law do not provide them with arm’s-length governance.

Both broadcasters have a history of public broadcasting designation, although their institutional paths were different. ELTR was reorganised as Public Television – ELTR in 2005 while retaining the legal form of a state institution, and was renamed the State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company ELTR in March 2015. UTRK’s predecessor was governed as a statutory public corporation under 2011 legislation, with a General Director elected by and accountable to a supervisory board. That law ceased to have effect on 13 May 2022.

Public financing is documented for both broadcasters. The approved 2026 budget provides total expenditure of approximately KGS 1.1514 billion for UTRK, of which more than KGS 1.07 billion comes from republican budget appropriations. A separate KGS 132.7 million is allocated to UTRK’s regional television and radio companies. ELTR receives KGS 309.3 million, almost KGS 100 million more than in the previous year. The published figures are summarised in reporting based on the approved budget.

State Media Monitor could not identify Kabar’s annual allocation or published financial statements. Ministry of Finance cash planning documents nevertheless list it separately as budget unit 44521. The April 2026 cash plan, for example, records a monthly cash ceiling of KGS 5.0911 million, confirming continuing direct public financing without establishing the size of its annual budget.

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