"A U.S. media freedom watchdog on Friday expressed concern at a possible bias in Kyrgyzstan's investigation of the murder of an independent Uzbek journalist. Western rights groups and governments have put pressure on Kyrgyzstan to hold a thorough probe into the Oct. 24 killing of Alisher Saipov who criticised Uzbek President Islam Karimov in his stories from his home base in southern Kyrgyzstan. The Committee to Protect Journalists said it had met Kyrgyzstan's ambassador to Washington to appeal for an ‘unbiased, professional investigation that embraces the theory that he was executed simply because he was pursuing truth.’ The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry said this week that Saipov, 26, had ties with banned radical Islamist groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Hizb ut-Tahrir. ‘Saipov had indeed interviewed members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan for various articles; his contacts with them were related to his work as a reporter, his colleagues said,’ the CPJ said. ‘Kyrgyz authorities must not make premature statements before thoroughly exploring every feasible lead and motive, including the possible involvement of Uzbek security services in Alisher Saipov's killing.’ Saipov, an ethnic Uzbek with Kyrgyz citizenship, reported for the U.S.-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and ran an opposition Uzbek-language newspaper called Siyosat, or Politics." See more on http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L02619177.htm