After the death of Alisher Saipov, a famous journalist from Osh, Kyrgyzstan, almost all internet sites of Central Asia, especially the ones about Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, had been hotly discussing the assassination. Everyone was expressing their deep sympathy to the family and close people of Saipov. There were many ideas given about the possible reasons for murder and who may stand behind the crime. Almost all independent internet sites unanimously put forward the idea that Uzbek secret services could play a significant role in the murder, since Alisher Saipov used to be a severe critic of the current regime in Uzbekistan. However, the state authorities have completely different view on the matter.

Kyrgyz law enforcement organizations, who were responsible for investigation of the crime, had recently announced the results of the investigation. They reported that there was no evidence proving that Uzbek secret services were involved in the assassination of Alisher Saipov. Moreover, they accused Alisher Saipov of being involved in the activities of dissident groups from Uzbekistan, namely Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and religious extremist organization Hizb-ut-Takhrir. And it was his connections with these groups that resulted in his death. Fergana.ru chief editor Daniil Kislov comments that it is not a surprise that Alisher had connections with the members of these groups, as he was a journalist.

A bona fide journalist that he was, Alisher did know some members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. On the other hand, he always criticized them all - the former for distorting the teaching of Islam, the latter for murdering their brothers in faith.

According to Fergana.ru, during the investigation, officers of the Osh Municipal Internal Affairs Department and Organized Crime Department have been only searching for proof of Alisher’s contacts with Hizb-ut-Takhrir and its activists, thus neglecting possible Uzbek traces in the crime. There were several violations of law during the interrogations of people, mainly colleagues of Alisher. Mezon-TV Director Javlon Mirzahojayev and Hulkar Isamova, were also summoned to the local police department and were interrogated about the TV show in their channel dedicated to Alisher Saipov. They were asked about the financial sources that paid for the show.

The general impression about the investigation is that Kyrgyz law enforcement organizations searched for the information that would prove that there were no any traces of Uzbek secret services in the murder of the journalist, but it was Alisher Saipov’s connections to different extremist organizations that eventually led to assassination.

Moreover, Adahan Madumarov, State Secretary of Kyrgyzstan, expressed the view of the government in really interesting manner. Madumarov, being a former journalist himself, confessed that it was the first time he heard of a journalist by that name. How has a journalist, who was several times severely criticized by the Uzbek officials for his works, missed Kyrgyz officials’ attention? Adahan Madumarov commented on Alisher Saipovs assassination saying:

They shoot journalists everywhere from Russia to Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan,” ex-journalist and ex-opposition activist Madumarov said, “but Kyrgyzstan alone is making such a fuss over the matter. A journalist was killed. So what? Lawmakers and politicians are assassinated too, but it is journalists alone who hit the roof whenever something like that happens.

While the President says that he is taking the investigation under his personal control, it is really strange to get such comments from a Stare Secretary on the issue.

It is not surprising that Kyrgyz law enforcement organizations tried not to accuse Uzbek secret services of assassination. Kyrgyz officials closed their eyes several times when Uzbek secret service kidnapped Kyrgyz citizens, who were allegedly involved in organizing Andijan events two years ago. Why would they accuse them now? They certainly do not need any further problems. And taking into consideration Saipov’s alleged connections with extremist groups that caused many problems to Kyrgyz law enforcement groups, it is very much possible that Kyrgyz authorities are happy with the fact that Alisher Saipov died — “No people, no problem.”