Radio Azattyk, the Kazakhstani subsidiary of Radio Liberty, continues to operate despite the funding cut by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), according to Torokul Doorov, the media service’s director.
«Radio Azattyk has endured many difficulties and pressure from various totalitarian regimes throughout its mission to spread democratic values and honest information! It has become a lone beacon of truth for millions of people living in these countries. No one can say how this situation will affect us. However, our board has made its positions clear and we will continue our work,» he posted on Facebook.
The Kyrgyz Azattyk service will also continue broadcasting, reported Venera Djumataeva, the director of the Kyrgyz division.
“The board told us, ‘Keep working for now.’ If there is any other news, we will keep you posted,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
On March 14, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, which aims to optimize seven agencies, including USAGM, to the maximum extent. USAGM oversaw Radio Liberty and Voice of America. As a result, hundreds of journalists have been placed on paid administrative leave starting March 15.
Radio Liberty operates across Central Asia under different names: Azattyk in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Azatlyk in Turkmenistan, Ozodlik in Uzbekistan and Ozodi in Tajikistan.
