Two criminal cases were opened against journalists of newspaper “Uralskaya Nedelya”

The Department of Internal Affairs (West Kazakhstan Oblast) has conducted pre-investigative check under article 274 “Dissemination of misleading information” of Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan with regard to journalist Maria Kovaleva. The charges originated from article “Only separatists who were wounded in Ukraine, they can receive treatment in Uralsk”.    

In her article, Maria informed, that during her visit to Russia she introduced with a man who told her about his military entanglement in the east of Ukraine on the side of pro-Russian    paramilitary troops. He was wounded and treated in Oblast Clinical Hospital of Uralsk as other militants of Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic. The journalist addressed to administration of oblast clinical hospital; she knew, that this patient with such passport data was not admitted to their hospital.        

On February 27, 2015 Maria Kovaleva was called to tesify in the Department of Internal Affairs (West Kazakhstan Oblast). During provision of testimony investigative officer   Salavat Berkaliev said to Maria Kovaleva, that police officers of Department of Internal Affairs acknowledged information, that her fellow passenger actually officially arrived at Kazakhstan and left for Russian Federation to Ukraine. According to report of department investigative officer S. Berkaliev information which was stated in article, it was not acknowledged. It gave occasion to open criminal case.  

At the same time, Uralsk City Court has accepted complaint of Deputy of Maslikhat (West Kazakhstan Oblast) Alibek Satbaev. He charged newspaper publisher “Uralskaya Nedelya” (“Ural's Week”) Tamara Eslyamova, its journalist Talgat Umarov and lawyer Abzal Kuspanov with slander under article 130 of Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The private prosecutor thought, that in article “Daughter works in court, son works in prosecutor's office” which was published in the newspaper on April 17, 2014 they spread misleading information about him, concerning case over stealing of KZT15000000 (1USD=185.56). In article, there was mention of words of lawyer Abzal Kuspanov during trial, that investigative officers sheltered main suspect person Alibek Satbaev from responsibility because of influential children who worked in court and prosecutor's office.   

The firs trial will be held on March 06, 2015.