Uralsk city maslikhat advised journalists to learn about its upcoming sessions from the newspapers

On January 25 the International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech "Adil soz" applied to the chief of administration of the Uralsk city maslikhat (local representative body) Serik Davletov due to the fact that only selected media were invited to the maslikhat’s sessions.

According to journalists, information on the upcoming sessions was not published on the official website of the city maslikhat. As Akkaly Aubekerov, the secretary of the maslikhat, explained to journalists, that the maslikhat had no press-secretary. He advised journalists to purchase the official newspaper of the maslikhat, where information on the upcoming sessions is published.

 “Adil Soz” foundation directed S.Davletov’s attention to the fact that absence of malikhat’s press-secretary is not the reason for impending journalists from carrying out their professional duties. The foundation also reminded S.Davletov about the obligation to abide article 4 of the law “On local state administration and self-administration”, article 20 of the Constitution and article 18 of the law “On mass media”. Besides “Adil Soz” foundation reminded S.Davletov that journalists have the right to appeal violations in accordance with chapter 27 of the Civil Procedure Code and that criminal, civil, administrative, disciplinary and financial responsibility of public employees is stipulated by the current legislation. The foundation requested S.Davletov to provide the relevant explanations to A.Aubekerov and instruct him not to let such situations happen again in future.

In his response, on February 10 S.Davletov informed that "the Uralsk city maslikhat, being a local representative body, carries out its activities in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan" and "activities carried out in the city maslikhat are open and transparent in strict compliance with the regulations approved by the city maslikhat. " He assured that there was no restrictions for journalists to cover sessions of the city maslikhat  and  A.Aubekerov’s  advice learn about upcoming sessions from the newspapers "Zhaiyk uni" and "Pulse of the City" and from the website of the city maslikhat. It was the same website that is not updated according to journalists.