Appeal hearings on the case of Seitkazy Matayev and Aset Matayev has begun in Astana

The convicts were not brought to court. As Matayev's lawyer Madina Bakieva said, according to the Criminal Procedure Code convicts should be delivered to court for appeal hearings in case of prosecutor's demand to increase punishment or in case of examination of evidence. As Mrs.Bakieva supposed, the court did not consider the presence of Matayevs necessary.

The defense said that the numerous violations of the Criminal Procedure Code were committed during the hearings at the court of first instance and demanded to reopen the judicial investigation. The defense also expressed disagreement with the confiscation of Matayevs' property.

Seitkazy Matayev's wife Bayan Ramazanova felt bad at the beginning of the hearings and has to apply for medical assistance.

As M.Bakieva said, S.Matayev does not count on beingamnestied and is intended to go through all the judicial instances.

On October 03, 2016 judge Akbolat Kurmantaev has pronounced sentence upon Seitkazy and Aset Matayevs. The Chairman of Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan, President of National Press Club Seitkazy Matayev was sentenced to six years of imprisonment with confiscation of property, lifetime deprivation of right to hold executive posts, related to organization-distribution and materially responsible functions in the state, commercial organizations and with service of term in general regime penal colony.

The General Director of News Agency “KazTAG” Aset Matayev was sentenced to five years of of imprisonment with confiscation of property, lifetime deprivation of right to hold executive posts, related to organization-distribution and materially responsible functions in the state, commercial organizations and with service of term in general penal colony.