Violations of freedom of speech in Kazakhstan. July 2017 (Digest)

Download 1 july 2017

The International Foundation for the Protection of Freedom of Speech Adil Soz made a study of the situation with the right to freedom of expression, receipt and dissemination of information in Kazakhstan in July 2017.

It reports:

- Pre-trial investigation on the case of the editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Sayasi Kalam. Tribuna” Zhanbolata Mamay was completed. The investigators suspects him of legalizing money obtained by criminal means. Zhanbolat Mamay pleads not guilty.

- The court refused to vary the measure of punishment for the chairman of the board of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan Seytkazy Mataev from imprisonment to restriction of freedom.

- Editor-in-chief of Ratel.kz Marat Asipov lost the action, but compelled provision of information.

- The court closed criminal proceedings on libel action against the correspondent of the newspaper "Kazakhstanskaya Pravda” for publishing an article about paid courses for teachers.

- The head of LLP "Zhasulan-Flora" reported to the Department of Internal Affairs of the West Kazakhstan region about the dissemination of deliberately false information. Investigation Department of the Department of Internal Affairs launched a probe against blogger Aibolat Bukenov for his post in Facebook about planting a flower pyramid in Uralsk.

4 judicial acts were issued on cases on protection of honor, dignity and business reputation (including 3 - in the appeal) in July. One of them was in favor of the media, journalists or citizens. Claims for compensation for moral damage in January-July amounted to 173 million 660 thousand tenge. The courts ordered to collect 51 million 720 thousand tenge.

The following charges were brought against media and citizens in connection with the exercise of the right to freedom of expression, receipt and dissemination of information:

- 5 criminal charges;

- 7 pre-trial claims and claims for protection of honor, dignity and business reputation. The amount of the requested compensation for moral damage amounted to 10 million 500 thousand tenge/

- 2 administrative charges.

Since the beginning of the year, 40 criminal charges have been brought in connection with the exercise of the right to freedom of expression, receipt and dissemination of information through pre-trial and judicial proceedings.

Violations of freedom of speech in Kazakhstan. July 2017 (Digest)

The\r\nInternational Foundation for the Protection of Freedom of Speech Adil Soz made\r\na study of the situation with the right to freedom of expression, receipt and\r\ndissemination of information in Kazakhstan in July 2017.

\r\n

It reports:

\r\n

- Pre-trial\r\ninvestigation on the case of the editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Sayasi\r\nKalam. Tribuna” Zhanbolata Mamay was completed. The investigators suspects him\r\nof legalizing money obtained by criminal means. Zhanbolat Mamay pleads not\r\nguilty.

\r\n

- The court\r\nrefused to vary the measure of punishment for the chairman of the board of the\r\nUnion of Journalists of Kazakhstan Seytkazy Mataev from imprisonment to\r\nrestriction of freedom.

\r\n

-\r\nEditor-in-chief of Ratel.kz Marat Asipov lost the action, but compelled provision of information.

\r\n

- The court\r\nclosed criminal proceedings on libel action against the correspondent of the newspaper\r\n\"Kazakhstanskaya Pravda” for publishing an article about paid courses for\r\nteachers.

\r\n

- The head\r\nof LLP \"Zhasulan-Flora\" reported to the Department of Internal\r\nAffairs of the West Kazakhstan region about the dissemination of deliberately\r\nfalse information. Investigation Department of the Department of Internal\r\nAffairs launched a probe against blogger\r\nAibolat Bukenov for his post in Facebook about planting a flower pyramid in\r\nUralsk.

\r\n

4\r\njudicial acts were issued on cases on protection of honor, dignity and business\r\nreputation (including 3 - in the appeal) in July. One of them was in favor of\r\nthe media, journalists or citizens. Claims for compensation for moral damage in\r\nJanuary-July amounted to 173 million 660 thousand tenge. The courts ordered to\r\ncollect 51 million 720 thousand tenge.

\r\n

The\r\nfollowing charges were brought against media and citizens in connection with\r\nthe exercise of the right to freedom of expression, receipt and dissemination of information:

\r\n

- 5\r\ncriminal charges;

\r\n

- 7\r\npre-trial claims and claims for protection of honor, dignity and business\r\nreputation. The amount of the requested compensation for moral damage amounted\r\nto 10 million 500 thousand tenge/

\r\n

- 2 administrative\r\ncharges.

\r\n

Since the\r\nbeginning of the year, 40 criminal charges have been brought in connection with\r\nthe exercise of the right to freedom of expression, receipt and dissemination\r\nof information through pre-trial and judicial proceedings.