(Adil Soz/IFEX) – On 24 November 2004, a camera crew for the Channel 31 news programme “Informburo” was harassed by security guards while filming a picket at the Almaty “akimat” (the city Mayor’s Office). The picket was organised by an elderly Almaty resident to protest the use by city officials in their speeches of the […]
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – On 24 November 2004, a camera crew for the Channel 31 news programme “Informburo” was harassed by security guards while filming a picket at the Almaty “akimat” (the city Mayor’s Office).
The picket was organised by an elderly Almaty resident to protest the use by city officials in their speeches of the city’s old name, “Alma-Ata”, instead of the official new name, “Almaty”. The protestor entered the building holding his banner at his chest and cameraman Denis Bobkov attempted to film him as he went in. Security guards at the entrance, however, stopped Bobkov from filming and told him to hand over his videotape. When the cameraman refused, the guards called for assistance from Special Police Force officers, who arrived wearing helmets and carrying machine guns.
While surrounded by the officers, the akimat’s assistant advisor, Azilkhan Baikodamov, told the camera crew that if they did not hand over their tape, it would be confiscated, along with the camera. After the journalists agreed to reveal the contents of the tape, the security guards, who did not like what they saw, confiscated it. The tape was returned to the journalists in the evening, but all the footage they had taken during the day had been erased.
Adil Soz protests the illegal actions by the akimat’s security guards and demands that the necessary measures be taken to correct the situation and to punish those responsible. Adil Soz will continue to follow the case and, where possible, inform the public about any new developments.
