“Izvestia” journalist Vladimir Ardayev criticised by President; press accreditation may not be renewed

President Nursultan Nazarbayev has threatened to expel Vladimir Ardayev, the Kazakhstan correspondent for “Izvestia”, and accused him of working against the principle of friendship between the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Nazarbayev’s threats stem from recent reports by several media outlets – among them the newspapers “Izvestia”, “Nezavissimaya Gazeta”, “Vecherni Bishkek”, “Panorama” […]

President Nursultan Nazarbayev has threatened to expel Vladimir
Ardayev, the Kazakhstan correspondent for “Izvestia”, and accused
him of working against the principle of friendship between the
countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Nazarbayev’s threats stem from recent reports by several media
outlets – among them the newspapers “Izvestia”, “Nezavissimaya
Gazeta”, “Vecherni Bishkek”, “Panorama” and “Delovaya Gazeta”, as
well as Radio Liberty and the radio and television stations M and
Totem – on the existence of a confidential letter which
President Nazarbayev had sent to his Uzbek counterpart, President
Islam Karimov. In this letter, Nazarbayev allegedly expressed
scepticism about a customs agreement concluded between
Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Belarus and the Russian Federation.

Meanwhile, the National Kazakh Committee for the Press and Mass
Media wrote to the editor of “Izvestia”, Igor Golembiovski,
pointing out that the administration was obliged to cut off all
relations with Ardayev. If this threat is carried out, the
journalist’s press accreditation will not be renewed.

Recommended Action

His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev

President of Kazakhstan

480091 g. Almaty

Pl. Respubliki, 4

Fax: +7 3272 63 95 95 / +7 3272 63 76 33

Maksut Sultanovich Narikbaev

Attorney General

480099 g. Almaty

ul. Zheltoksan, 189

Prokuratura

Generalnomu prokuroru

Fax: +7 3272 53 27 30

Kasymzhomart Tokayev

Minister of Foreign Affairs

g. Almaty

Fax: +7 3272 63 13 87

Zhamarkan Tuyakbayev

Chairman of the State Investigative Committee

g. Almaty

Gosudarstvenny sledstvenny komitet

Predsedatelyu Tuyakbayevu Zh.A

Kairbek Suleymenov

Minister of Internal Affairs

480091 g. Almaty

ul. Kabanbai batyra, 95



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