“Taszhargan” newspaper and journalist Almas Kusherbayev ordered to compensate government official in defamation case
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – On 16 January 2009, a court ordered the Kazakh opposition newspaper “Taszhargan” and one of its reporters to pay US$25,000 in compensation in a defamation case. The case stemmed from an article published in the newspaper in April 2008. The author, Almas Kusherbayev, expressed his opinion on the problem of the increasing […]
An Atmosphere of Quiet Repression: Freedom of Religion, Assembly and Expression in Kazakhstan
An Atmosphere of Quiet Repression: Freedom of Religion, Assembly and Expression in Kazakhstan
World Report 2009: Kazakhstan
World Report 2009: Kazakhstan
Radio journalist attacked by unknown group, sustains concussion
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – Yermek Boltay, a journalist with the radio station “Azattyk” (Kazakhstan’s service of radio “Svoboda”) was beaten at about 21.00 p.m. (local time) in the entrance of his house on 18 January 2009. He said that there were 4-5 attackers and that one of them asked him for cigarettes and money. Boltay refused […]
Detained editor-in-chief goes on hunger strike
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The editor-in-chief of the “Alma-Ata Info” newspaper, Ramazan Yesergepov, who was arrested on 6 January 2009, has gone on a hunger strike and has thus far refused to provide information to the authorities, according to his wife, Raushan Yesergepova. On 6 January, Yesergepov was detained by Committee for National Security (CNS) agents […]
Editor taken from hospital by government agents, held incommunicado
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 7 January 2009 press release: Kazakhstan: Security agents seize hospitalized editor New York, January 7, 2008 – Kazakh authorities should immediately release Ramazan Yesergepov, ailing editor of the independent weekly Alma-Ata Info, who was seized from an Almaty hospital on Tuesday by government agents, the Committee to Protect Journalists […]
SPEAKING OUT FOR FREE EXPRESSION 1987-2007 AND BEYOND: Kazakhstan
SPEAKING OUT FOR FREE EXPRESSION 1987-2007 AND BEYOND: Kazakhstan
Opposition journalist stabbed in Almaty
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 30 December 2008 CPJ press release: Kazakhstan: Opposition journalist stabbed in Almaty New York, December 30, 2008 – Kazakh authorities must launch a thorough investigation into the stabbing of Artyom Miusov, a reporter with the opposition weekly Taszhargan, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Miusov suffered serious internal […]
Twenty-two IFEX members sign on to letter to Parliamentarians urging them to consider NGO proposals on media reform
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The following is a joint letter to the Deputies of Parliament by twenty-two IFEX members: JOINT LETTER: Deputies of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Astana 010000 Left coast, The Parliament House Almaty, Kazakhstan Dear Deputies, We, the undersigned heads of Kazak mass media and public organisations as well as international free […]
Draft amendments to media laws a small step forward, but offer no path to real change, says Human Rights Watch
(HRW/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of a 1 December 2008 Human Rights Watch press release: Kazakhstan: Fulfill OSCE Commitments on Human Rights No Meaningful Improvements a Year After Chairmanship Term Is Promised (New York, December 1, 2008) – The Kazakh government should make meaningful human rights reforms before it takes over the […]
Analysis of draft Law on Publishing Activities released by ARTICLE 19
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 20 October 2008 ARTICLE 19 press release: Kazakhstan: Analysis of Law on Publishing Released ARTICLE 19 recently released an analysis of the 2008 draft Kazakhstan Law on Publishing Activities. Our key concerns with the draft included the proposed registration and licensing scheme for a wide range of publishing […]
Region’s most popular blog service blocked
(RSF/IFEX) – Kazakhstan’s two main Internet Service Providers (ISPs), KazakhTelecom and NurSat, have been blocking access to the popular blog service LiveJournal since 10 October 2008 without explaining why, Reporters Without Borders said on 15 October. The reason seems to be a LiveJournal blog ( http://rakhataliev.livejournal.com ) by the president’s former son-in-law, Rakhat Aliev, that […]
Newspaper correspondent faces libel charges
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – On 18 September 2008, a Petropavlovsk City Court heard a case of libel charges brought against Victor Miroshnichenko, a correspondent for “Vremya” newspaper in the North Kazakhstan region. The journalist faces charges under Article 129, p. 3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Sarsenbay Davletov, deputy chief of the […]
Media group employee assaulted, group president’s car set on fire
(Adil Soz/IFEX) – On 17 September 2008, Nurseit Kaltayev, a driver for the Aygak media group, was assaulted and the car of the group’s president, Dulat Abish, was set on fire. The incident occurred at a car wash in Shymkent, South Kazakhstan. Kaltayev went to the car wash on the morning of 17 September. When […]
Promised reforms on libel, media registration unlikely due to media law working group’s inactivity, limited mandate, warns Freedom House
(Freedom House/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of a 12 June 2008 Freedom House press release: Kazakhstan’s Record on Human Rights, Democratization and Fulfilling Its OSCE Chairmanship Commitments Executive Summary: During its campaign for the Chairmanship of the OSCE, a number of Participating States raised questions regarding Kazakhstan’s suitability for the position given […]
Annual Report 2008: Kazakhstan
Annual Report 2008: Kazakhstan