Международный фонд защиты свободы слова
The International Foundation for Freedom of Speech Protection
News
According to the current legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, information about issued court verdicts is public and accessible, and is published on the website of the Supreme Court. However, law enforcement authorities have deemed the use of such information in a publication to be a criminal offence. Although the Constitution guarantees uniform application of laws, is it really the case that government bodies are allowed to publish such data, while journalists are not?
The International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech "Adil Soz" expresses concern regarding the pre-trial investigation initiated against journalist Sandugash Duyssenova under Article 274 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Dissemination of knowingly false information"), based on a complaint filed by the director of Tavidi LLP.
According to the Astana City Police Department, a pre-trial investigation was launched under Article 274 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan – "Dissemination of knowingly false information" – based on complaints filed by alleged victims. As part of the investigation, Lukpan Akhmedyarov, author of the YouTube channel "Prosto Zhurnalistika", was detained on 10 April 2025. He is currently considered a witness with the right to defence in the case. According to the journalist, the investigation was prompted by a social media post regarding potential risks of forced recruitment of Kazakhstani citizens to participate in foreign armed conflicts. The post was based on information received from a relative of one of the alleged victims.
The International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil Soz” expresses its deep concern over yet another digital attack targeting the editorial team of Orda.kz and its staff members.
On March 12–13, 2025, several journalists faced a new method of orchestrated phone attacks that disrupted their ability to carry out their professional duties. Their phone numbers were published in fraudulent advertisements on the OLX.kz . The perpetrators posted fake listings for kittens, puppies, or electronic devices at unusually low prices, leading to a flood of calls to the journalists' phones.
