A court dispute between an official and Uralskaya Nedelya ended in a mediation agreement

The resolution of the case regarding the protection of the honor, dignity, and business reputation of Bisen Galiyevich Khairullin, Deputy Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Regulation of Nature Use of the West Kazakhstan Region, against the editorial board of the Uralskaya Nedelya newspaper and journalist Lyudmila Kalashnikova ended amicably.
The plaintiff disputed a fragment of the article «Development of three new quarries for gravel in the Ural floodplain will not happen» dated August 16 of this year. Specifically, Bisen Galiyevich Khairullin requested that the words «we will not allow the development of quarries in the state forest fund area» be declared untrue and subject to refutation. He claims that «the journalist of the newspaper distorted my words, as such words were not spoken directly to the journalist during a telephone conversation, and I was also not informed that the conversation would be recorded». And these statements discredit his honor, dignity and business reputation as a civil servant, particularly in front of gravel quarry developers, portraying him «to the public as an authoritarian figure prone to unlimited power and despotism, ignoring legal norms and pursuing a single goal - to prohibit the operation of the mentioned enterprises by any means».
During the legal proceedings, the parties reached a mediation agreement, the terms of which were satisfactory to both the plaintiff and the defendants.
Bisen Galiyevich Khairullin renounces all claims made, while the defendants, in turn, undertake to publish a message within 10 working days after the court decision enters into force, clarifying the incorrect presentation of information that led to its misunderstanding. The editorial board is obliged to explain that the civil servant spoke «exclusively about the legal measures that will be taken by his department, and the final decision will be made by the court».
The Adil Soz Foundation welcomes the constructive resolution of this dispute with the media outlet. Mr. Khairullin demonstrated readiness for constructive dialogue and commitment not only to high standards of public service but also to the values of a constructive culture, where individuals care not only about their reputation but also about the well-being of the local community. We also want to note the professionalism exhibited by the editorial board of the «Uralskaya Nedelya» and journalist Lyudmila Kalashnikova.