Kloop

Kloop was founded in 2007 by journalists Bektour Iskender and Rinat Tuhvatshin. From the beginning, Kloop worked with young journalists, who were trained at its own journalism school. In February 2010 Kloop's reporters investigated how Maxim Bakiyev, son of then Kyrgyz president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, gained illegal control over Kyrgyztelecom, the country's largest communications provider.{{Cite web|last=Искендер|first=Бектур|date=2010-02-05|title=Максим Бакиев может быть причастен к продаже акций "Кыргызтелекома"|url=https://kloop.kg/blog/2010/02/05/obzor-dizelya-prodazha-akcij-kyrgyztelekoma/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=KLOOP.KG - Новости Кыргызстана|language=ru-RU}} After receiving threats for attempts to continue the investigation,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=20 December 2016|title=The mega force of youth journalists {{!}} Bektour Iskender|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wm19zoN2uw|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=TED Archive YouTube Channel}} Kloop gained more attention two months later for its coverage of the revolution, during which Bakiyev and his family were ousted and forced to live in exile.{{Cite web|title=Бектур Искендер: "Власть боится нас больше, чем мы её"|url=https://the-steppe.com/lyudi/meg-rayan-nazvala-menya-molodcom|access-date=2020-07-20|website=the-steppe.com|language=ru}}

In 2017 Kloop published an investigation about violations at that year's presidential election in Kyrgyzstan. Called Samaragate, the investigation focused on a mysterious Samara website that contained voter information and was hosted on a government server. According to the investigation, this website was used as a voter management system by the campaign of the elected president Sooronbay Jeenbekov to track and influence voters.{{Cite web|last=Putz|first=Catherine|title=Server Shenanigans: Local Media Reports Kyrgyz Campaign Used Government Server|url=https://thediplomat.com/2017/10/server-shenanigans-local-media-reports-kyrgyz-campaign-used-government-server/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=thediplomat.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Kyrgyzstan: Report Shows Presidential Candidate Gained Access to Private Data {{!}} Eurasianet|url=https://eurasianet.org/kyrgyzstan-report-shows-presidential-candidate-gained-access-to-private-data|access-date=2020-07-20|website=eurasianet.org|language=en}} The investigation was the result of Kloop's cooperation with Qurium, a digital forensic organization based in Sweden that helped track where the suspicious website was hosted{{Cite web|title=Elections in Kyrgyzstan 2017 – Exposing Samara, a fraudulent voter management system – Qurium Media Foundation|url=https://www.qurium.org/alerts/kyrgyzstan/kyrgyzstan-election/|access-date=2020-07-20|language=en-GB}}

Authorities of Kyrgyzstan threatened to sue Kloop for this series of stories,{{Cite web|title=Inside Kyrgyzstan's Online Election Hijinks|url=https://en.hromadske.ua/posts/inside-kyrgyzstans-online-election-hijinks|access-date=2020-07-20|website=en.hromadske.ua}} but this threat was not carried out.

Soon after publishing Samaragate, Kloop was invited to become the first Central Asian member of the global investigative journalism network run by Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

In 2019 Kloop joined forces with OCCRP and the Kyrgyz edition of Radio Liberty to release a series of investigations about the corruption at the Kyrgyz border. Published in November and December simultaneously by all three media organizations, this series revealed a story of an underground cargo empire run by a group of Chinese businessmen,{{Cite web|last=Project|first=Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting|title=Plunder and Patronage in the Heart of Central Asia|url=https://www.occrp.org/en/plunder-and-patronage/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=OCCRP|language=en}} and how they funnelled massive bribes to Kyrgyzstan's customs services.{{Cite web|last=Kloop|first=OCCRP, RFE/RL, and|title=The 700-Million-Dollar Man|url=https://www.occrp.org/en/plunder-and-patronage/the-700-million-dollar-man|access-date=2020-07-20|website=OCCRP|language=en}} Journalists who worked on the story found evidence of at least $700 million that was laundered by the cargo empire as a result of this scheme.{{Cite news|title=A vast smuggling ring is exposed in Kyrgyzstan, to popular outrage|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/asia/2019/12/05/a-vast-smuggling-ring-is-exposed-in-kyrgyzstan-to-popular-outrage|access-date=2020-07-20|issn=0013-0613}}

While working on the Plunder and Patronage series, journalists faced a number of risks, including a death threat to one of them.{{Cite web|title=RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service Investigative Reporter Receives Death Threat|url=https://pressroom.rferl.org/a/rferl-kyrgyz-service-investigative-reporter-receives-death-threat/30540490.html|access-date=2020-07-20|website=RFE/RL|language=en}} One of the main sources for the story, self-confessed money launderer Aierken Saimaiti, was murdered in Istanbul, Turkey, ten days before the first part of the investigation was published.{{Cite web|date=2019-11-17|title=Assassination of Aierken Saimaiti in Istanbul Raises New Questions|url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/rest-of-world/2019/11/17/assassination-of-aierken-saimaiti-in-istanbul-raises-new-questions/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=bellingcat|language=en-GB}}

The investigation caused an outrage in Kyrgyzstan, where two anticorruption protests took place at the end of 2019 as a reaction to what had been revealed.{{Cite web|title=Kyrgyzstan: Corruption investigation sparks outrage {{!}} Eurasianet|url=https://eurasianet.org/kyrgyzstan-corruption-investigation-sparks-outrage|access-date=2020-07-20|website=eurasianet.org|language=en}}{{Cite news|date=2019-11-25|title=Hundreds protest over Kyrgyz corruption report|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-kyrgyzstan-protests-idUSKBN1XZ0T9|access-date=2020-07-20}}

In December 2019 the family of Raimbek Matraimov, a powerful former Kyrgyz customs official who was described as one of the key people in the criminal scheme, filed a lawsuit against Kloop and Radio Liberty.{{Cite web|last=Putz|first=Catherine|title=After Exposing Corruption, Media Under Pressure in Kyrgyzstan|url=https://thediplomat.com/2019/12/after-exposing-corruption-media-under-pressure-in-kyrgyzstan/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=thediplomat.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2019-12-13|title=Interview with Bektour Iskender, co-founder of Kyrgyz outlet under attack for corruption investigation|url=https://advox.globalvoices.org/2019/12/13/interview-with-bektour-iskender-co-founder-of-kyrgyz-outlet-under-attack-for-corruption-investigation/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=Global Voices Advocacy|language=en-US}} Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an organization that advocates for the freedom of the press, called this lawsuit absurd and called a Kyrgyz court to dismiss it.{{Cite web|date=2020-01-29|title=Absurd lawsuit against media outlets over corruption exposé in Kyrgyzstan {{!}} Reporters without borders|url=https://rsf.org/en/news/absurd-lawsuit-against-media-outlets-over-corruption-expose-kyrgyzstan|access-date=2020-07-20|website=RSF|language=en}} The Matraimov family were seeking 780,000 euros in damages in connection with the investigation.

Despite the ongoing legal battle, in June 2020 Kloop, OCCRP, and Radio Liberty published two more parts of the series, this time joined by investigative network Bellingcat.{{Cite web|last=Bellingcat|first=RFE/RL, OCCRP, Kloop, and|title=The Mystery of the Missing £5.6 Million|url=https://www.occrp.org/en/plunder-and-patronage/the-mystery-of-the-missing-5-6-million|access-date=2020-07-20|website=OCCRP|language=en}} Besides publishing new stories, this time the consortium also published all the originals of the financial documents that were used in the investigation.{{Cite web|last=Kloop|first=RFE/RL, OCCRP, and|title=Saimaiti's Archive|url=https://www.occrp.org/en/plunder-and-patronage/saimaitis-archive|access-date=2020-07-20|website=OCCRP|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Putz|first=Catherine|title=Undaunted, Joint Investigation Rolls Out Records Backing Corruption Reporting|url=https://thediplomat.com/2020/06/undaunted-joint-investigation-rolls-out-records-backing-corruption-reporting/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=thediplomat.com|language=en-US}}

Following the 2020 Kyrgyz Revolution, Matraimov was arrested and placed under house arrest.{{Cite news |date=2020-10-20 |title=House Arrest Ordered For Kyrgyzstan's Powerful Oligarch Raimbek Matraimov |language=en |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-detains-former-customs-chief-matraimov-on-corruption-charges/30902497.html |access-date=2023-09-10}} In April 2021 he was released in a controversial move after authorities of Kyrgyzstan claimed he had returned more than $24 million to the state budget.{{Cite news |date=2021-04-15 |title=Kyrgyz Powerbroker Matraimov Released From Custody, Case Closed |language=en |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-matraimov-released-probe-closed/31204913.html |access-date=2023-09-10}} The same month he withdrew his lawsuit against Kloop and Radio Liberty.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-23 |title=Райымбек Матраимов отказался от исков к СМИ |url=https://rus.azattyk.org/a/rayymbek-matraimov-otkazalsya-ot-iskov-k-smi/31218971.html |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=Радио Азаттык (Кыргызская служба Радио Свободная Европа/Радио Свобода) |language=ru}}

In August 2023 Kyrgyz authorities filed a lawsuit to close down Kloop Media Foundation that runs Kloop.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-30 |title=Kyrgyzstan: Effort to Shut Down Independent News Outlet |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/30/kyrgyzstan-effort-shut-down-independent-news-outlet |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Imanaliyeva |first=Aizirek |date=29 August 2023 |title=Kyrgyzstan: Prosecutors seek closure of outlet over "negative reporting" |url=https://eurasianet.org/kyrgyzstan-prosecutors-seek-closure-of-outlet-over-negative-reporting |access-date=10 September 2023 |website=Eurasianet}} Among the reasons that the Bishkek prosecutor's office listed in its application to the court were "sharp criticism of the government", which led to a number of human rights organization stating that this case reflects the growing repressive trend against freedom of speech in Kyrgyzstan.

The complaint to the court was filed by Kyrgyz authorities shortly after Kloop published an investigation into the alleged involvement of country's top leadership in a suspicious deal with Barcelona football club on constructing Barça's football academy in Jalalabad, Kyrgyzstan.{{Cite web |title=Kyrgyz Prosecutor Requests the Shutdown of Independent Media Outlet Kloop |url=https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/17966-kyrgyz-prosecutor-requests-the-shutdown-of-independent-media-outlet-kloop |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=www.occrp.org |language=en-GB}}

A week later authorities of Kyrgyzstan continued putting pressure on Kloop by threatening to block the website for its news coverage of the detention of the opposition politician Ravshan Djeenbekov.{{Cite web |last=Spicer |first=Sarah |date=2023-09-08 |title=Kyrgyz authorities threaten to block website of investigative outlet Kloop |url=https://cpj.org/2023/09/kyrgyz-authorities-threaten-to-block-website-of-investigative-outlet-kloop/ |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=Committee to Protect Journalists |language=en-US}} Kloop responded by filing a complaint against the Ministry of Culture that has been responsible for blocking websites in Kyrgyzstan since 2021.{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2023-09-08 |title=«Клооп» подал жалобу в Минкультуры из-за решения о блокировке сайта издания |url=https://kloop.kg/blog/2023/09/08/kloop-podal-zhalobu-v-minkultury-iz-za-resheniya-o-blokirovke-sajta-izdaniya/ |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=KLOOP.KG - Новости Кыргызстана |language=ru-RU}}

For the Plunder and Patronage series, Kloop was a joint winner of Tom Renner Award by Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE).{{Cite web|last=OCCRP|title=OCCRP and Partners From Kyrgyzstan Win Top U.S. Award for Crime Reporting|url=https://www.occrp.org/en/40-press-releases/presss-releases/12020-occrp-and-partners-from-kyrgyzstan-win-top-u-s-award-for-crime-reporting|access-date=2020-07-20|website=www.occrp.org|language=en}}

Samaragate was chosen as one of the best investigative stories from the former Soviet Union by Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) in 2017.{{Cite web|date=2018-01-31|title=Editor's Pick: Best Investigative Stories from the Former Soviet Union 2017|url=https://gijn.org/2018/01/31/best-investigative-stories-former-soviet-union-2017/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=Global Investigative Journalism Network|language=en-US}} A year later, in 2018, Kloop's investigation about a fake military expert from Kyrgyzstan made it to another annual list by GIJN, this time being mentioned as one of the year's best stories in Russian or Ukrainian.{{Cite web|date=2019-01-08|title=Editor's Pick: Best Investigative Stories in Russian and Ukrainian 2018|url=https://gijn.org/2019/01/08/editors-pick-best-investigative-stories-in-russian-and-ukrainian-2018/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=Global Investigative Journalism Network|language=en-US}}

In 2021 Kloop's investigation about femicide in Kyrgyzstan was a winner at the data journalism Sigma Awards.{{Cite web|last=Keng|first=Kuek Ser Kuang|date=2021-04-27|title="I would have killed her anyway". Kloop's investigation of femicide in Kyrgyzstan|url=https://sigmaawards.org/i-would-have-killed-her-anyway-kloops-investigation-of-femicide-in-kyrgyzstan/|access-date=2022-01-03|website=The Sigma Awards|language=en-US}}

In 2024 Kloop was awarded Free Media Pioneer award by International Press Institute for "supporting the future of quality media in the country and upholding democracy."{{Cite web |last=IPI-author |date=2024-05-21 |title=Kyrgyzstan’s Kloop receives 2024 IPI-IMS Free Media Pioneer award |url=https://ipi.media/kyrgyzstans-kloop-receives-2024-ipi-ims-free-media-pioneer-award/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=ipi.media |language=en-US}}

Kloop is also the only Central Asian media outlet that was featured at the TED conference,{{Citation |last=Iskender |first=Bektour |title=The crime-fighting power of cross-border investigative journalism |date=2022-05-13 |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/bektour_iskender_the_crime_fighting_power_of_cross_border_investigative_journalism |access-date=2023-09-10}} with its co-founder Bektour Iskender being a TED Senior Fellow.{{Cite web |last=Iskender |first=Bektour |title=Bektour Iskender {{!}} Speaker {{!}} TED |url=https://www.ted.com/speakers/bektour_iskender |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=www.ted.com |language=en}}

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Category:Investigative media in Kyrgyzstan

Category:News agencies based in Kyrgyzstan