ABSTRACT
Journalists in Kyrgyzstan employ avoidance strategies to protect themselves from becoming victims of lawsuits, physical attacks, arrest, and other repercussions of practicing their profession. These types of victimization produce long-term negative effects on journalists and on overall press freedom in the country considered the most democratic in former Soviet Central Asia. Drawing on interviews with journalists based in the capital city, this chapter illustrates the practical implications of such avoidance strategies as media professionals communicate with audiences.
