Scorecard: KYRGYZSTAN

Positives:

• Bakiyev administration shows a more tolerant attitude toward press coverage.

• President agrees to transform state broadcaster KTR into an independent public station.
  
  

Negatives:

• Administration names loyalists to top state media positions, pressures media to tone down coverage.

• Attacks on journalists and press facilities continue.

• Bakiyev fails to follow through on pledge to decriminalize libel.