Adil Soz – International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – On 25 March 2005, the Inter-District Economic Court in Almaty held final hearings in the case against the Bestau company, which owns “Respublika” newspaper. The Culture, Information and Sport Ministry’s Information and Archives Committee filed the lawsuit after the newspaper published transcripts of an interview given by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the Russian Parliament’s […]

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The press agency of the dissolved Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) party stated that, in February 2005, police officers stepped up efforts to seize copies of “Dauys DVK” newspaper from the newspaper’s distributors. The DVK has been shut down by court order. On 8 February, police officers watching a DVK branch building […]

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – On 23 March 2005, Azamat Kalman, the chairman of the independent Trade Union of Journalists, was injured while police were dispersing protesters who were demanding President Askar Akayev’s resignation. At the time of the incident, Kalman was covering the protest in the capital, Bishkek. Shortly after the demonstration started, police pushed the […]

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The Culture, Information and Sport Ministry has launched a lawsuit against the Bastau company, which owns the newly established “Respublika Analiticheskiy Yezhenedelnik” (“Respublika Analytical Weekly”) newspaper, demanding that the company be liquidated. The suit was launched after the newspaper published transcripts of an interview given by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the Russian parliament’s (Duma) […]

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – On 16 February 2005, the Arkalyk city court held a final hearing in the case against journalist Zhumat Anesuly. Anesuly was charged with defaming city akim (mayor) Zhomart Tubekbayev under Article 129 of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code. The charges stemmed from a 28 October 2004 article in “Zhas Alash” newspaper, entitled “Aydalada Kalgan […]

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – The following is an abridged 7 February 2005 press release by the National Association of Independent Mass Media in Tajikistan (NANSMIT), an Adil Soz partner: NANSMIT announces results of freedom of speech monitoring in Tajikistan 7 February 2005 Dushanbe In 2004, the National Association of Independent Mass Media in Tajikistan’s (NANSMIT) monitoring […]

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – On 2 February 2005, Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee brought charges against “Juma Times-Data Nedeli” newspaper for insulting the honour and dignity of the President under Article 318 of the Kazakhstani Criminal Code. The charges stemmed from a 12 November 2004 article entitled, “It is Time to Know Whom to Vote For”, which […]

(Adil Soz/IFEX) – Kyrgyzstan’s “MSN” and “Res Publica” newspapers are facing government pressure over reports published in the papers on an alleged secret government session last December. According to Zamira Sadykova, a senior editor of “Res Publica” newspaper, the papers received an official notice demanding they disclose their sources for the report or face legal […]