Surprise Acquittals: Is Kyrgyzstan's Hard-Line Leader Going Soft?
![Surprise Acquittals: Is Kyrgyzstan's Hard-Line Leader Going Soft?](https://gdb.rferl.org/01000000-0a00-0242-70cd-08dc53d1d7ee_w800_h450.jpg)
As one highly politicized trial in Kyrgyzstan came to an end -- concluding in acquittals for more than 20 defendants who were detained in 2022 -- 11 journalists are now preparing to learn their fate following their own arrests on similar charges.