Azymat Ishenbekov and Zarina Torokulova. Photo courtesy of bulak.kg
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov signed a decree on April 9 pardoning 41 convicted individuals, according to the State Penitentiary Service, as reported by 24.kg.
Among those granted clemency were two civil society activists. One is Azymat Ishenbekov, a journalist and traditional akyn (improvisational poet), who was arrested in 2024 in connection with the Temirov Live and Ait Ait Dese cases. He had been convicted of inciting mass unrest and sentenced to five years in prison. The other is blogger Zarina Torokulova, who was detained in 2023 for reposting a video by writer Olzhobay Shakir on social media and likewise sentenced to five years.
Torokulova’s daughter, Ayman, told Kaktus.media that her mother had submitted a clemency petition after the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan upheld the verdict of the Bishkek City Court. Ishenbekov also submitted a petition, according to his lawyer, Sapar Akun. Both are expected to be released on April 9.
The identities of the other individuals pardoned were not disclosed.
