The Chui regional court in Kyrgyzstan's north has upheld a lower court decision to change the parole-like sentence of activist and blogger Adilet Ali Myktybek, known on social media as Adilet Baltabai, to actual imprisonment.

It is not the first time that Myktybek's parole-like sentence has been revised since his initial arrest and trial last year.

Myktybek, known for his articles critical of the Central Asian country's government, was initially arrested in June last year after he was questioned by the Bishkek police about his coverage of rallies by civil rights activists.

He was sentenced to five years in prison in November 2022 on a charge of calling for social unrest via the Internet, allegations he has rejected as politically motivated.

The court ruled at the time that Myktybek would not have to serve his prison sentence immediately, but instead would be under a three-year parole-like probation period. If he served that period without any violations, the court said his five-year prison term would be canceled.

Following his release in November 2022, Myktybek continued his blogging activities and took part in a rally on January 10 to express support for 27 jailed Kyrgyz politicians and activists arrested in October 2022 for protesting a border deal with Uzbekistan.

After Myktybek attended the rally, the Bishkek City Court ruled to send the blogger to a prison at the request of prosecutors, who considered Myktybek's sentence too lenient.

However, Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Court in April reinstated Myktybek's parole-like probation and released him.

Myktybek was rearrested last week after a court ruled in late November that the blogger had "violated" his parole by traveling from his native town of Sokuluk to the capital, Bishkek.

On December 18, the blogger’s parents, Myktybek Baltabaev and Saikal Junusova, issued an open letter to the Kyrgyz government saying their son had not committed any crime but was using his right to express his thoughts and opinions, which is guaranteed by the Kyrgyz Constitution.