Interpol refused the request from the competent authorities of Kyrgyzstan to issue an international wanted notice for one of the co-founders of an independent media project. According to the organization, the request was politically motivated and contradicted the fundamental principles established in the Interpol Constitution, which prohibits the use of its mechanisms for political purposes.

“The Constitution of Interpol contains strict rules prohibiting the use of our system for political purposes; therefore, the request was rejected,” a representative of the organization stated.

The individual involved described the actions of the national authorities as an abuse of international mechanisms and expressed concerns that such practices damage the country’s reputation and undermine trust in law-enforcement institutions.

According to available information, the request was submitted to Interpol on October 30 — shortly after a court decision that designated the activities and materials of several media platforms as “extremist”. The same ruling also targeted other platforms and individuals. Lawyers and journalists announced their intention to appeal the decisions, pointing to their political nature.

“This is yet another escalation of repressive practices affecting not only those named in the case but broader segments of society — harming the country’s reputation and creating risks of criminalizing uninvolved individuals,” the individual emphasized.

Context and legal framework

According to Article 3 of the Interpol Constitution, the organization must refrain from any activity or intervention of a political, military, religious, or racial nature. Requests falling under these criteria must be rejected during the compliance review.