During the hearing, the lawyers asked the court to allow the journalist to travel to London to receive an award from the Amal Clooney Foundation. However, the motion was denied.

«We are dissatisfied with the decision. The award is not only about the status of the defendant; it also concerns the status of Kyrgyzstan as a whole. If she had been allowed to travel, it would have demonstrated that there is democracy and freedom of speech in Kyrgyzstan,» lawyer Akynbek Nogoev said.

It was previously reported that the journalist received the Albies Award, established by actor George Clooney and his wife, Amal Clooney. The award ceremony will take place in London on October 7. The award is presented to courageous individuals who put themselves at risk to defend human rights and justice.

The next hearing is scheduled for September 9.

Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy is charged under Part 3 of Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, which concerns calls for mass disorder. On October 10, 2024, the Leninsky District Court of Bishkek sentenced her to six years in prison. The Bishkek City Court later upheld the sentence, and in February 2025, the Supreme Court also upheld the decisions of the lower courts.

The defense subsequently filed a motion to review the case based on newly discovered circumstances. As a result, the Supreme Court ruled that the case should be sent back to the district court for a new trial.

The journalist had been detained from January 2024 until March 2026.