Turning pages of monitoring
In August, 2015 newspaper "Moy Gorod Shemonaikha" published some sharp materals which were devoted to town living, devaluation of Kazakhstan's tenge, expectative increase of prices of food products, pharmaceutical drugs and others. After publication of these articles, Head of Department of Internal Policy of Shemonaikhinsk District of East Kazakhstan Oblast Tatiyana Stepanova has called to Director of Newspaper "Moy Gorod Shemonaikha" Eugeniya Deryabina.
She in emotional manner said, that newspaper with its articles destabilized the situation among Kazakhstan's people.
On September 02, 2015 T. Stepanova has met with E. Deryabina and journalist Anna Sabelfield in the editorial office. She told about heavy economic situation in Kazakhstan and district, then propose to sign a document. After signing of this document editorial staff of newspaper would not publish their articles and materials which alarmed Kazakhstan's people.
The correspondent of foundation informed, that Assistant of Akim (Governor) of Shemonaikhinsk District of East Kazakhstan Vika Lisina has threatened to file a lawsuit for publication of critical materials in court. To tell the truth, editorial staff did not receive any written claims from akimat (local representative body), except for oral threats.
Commentary of foundation "Adil Soz"
It is strange, that journalists signed legally insignificant document shot themselves in the foot, they agreed voluntary to restrict freedom of speech and their professional rights. The page of Head of Department of Internal Policy of Shemonaikhinsk District of East Kazakhstan Oblast Tatiyana Stepanova (http://www.shemonaiha.vko.gov.kz/ru/structure2_01.htm) had no any information on position of Department of Internal Policy and her official powers. It was obvious, that T. Stepanova abused her official powers, when she proposed journalists to sign a document which contravened to article 20 of Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan which guaranteed freedom of speech and prohibition of censorship.
Journalists could appeal for akim (governor) with regard to actions of employee of akimat (local representative body) T. Stepanova. According to article 35 p.5 "On State Administration and Self-Administration in the Republic of Kazakhstan" of the Republic of Kazakhstan akim (governor)akim helped through citizens and legal entities to observe norms of Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, laws, acts of President and Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, statutory and regulatory enactments of the central and local state bodies; they could complain against these actions and inform about fact of violation of civil and professional rights of journalists to the General Prosecutor's Office.
You can see monitoring of violations of freedom of speech for September, 2015 on the website http://www.adilsoz.kz/monitoring/show/id/105.
