(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 […]
(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 and the man hit Boltay on his head with a bottle. Then strangers begun to beat him. The attackers then left but did not take money and valuables. Emergency doctors diagnosed him with a brain concussion and moderate damage.
Boltay appealed to police and Amangeldy Shayanov, Deputy Head of Auezov DDIA, has said that there would be an investigation of the incident and a criminal case will be instituted.
Chief Editor of Kazakhstan’s service of radio “Azattyk” and Internet newspaper “Azattyq.org” Amangeldy Kenshilikuly has said that the attackers did not rob Boltay. This beating was reportedly connected with his professional activity.
This is not the first attack on journalists in Almaty. The last one involved Artem Miusov of the opposition newspaper “Taszhargan”, who was the victim of a knife attack on the evening of 29 December 2008 . He was sent to hospital but police did not investigate the crime.
For further information on the Miusov case, see: http://ifex.org/en/content/view/full/99570
