Forced invitation

Murat Sultangaliyev, journalist of “Ak Zhaiyk” newspaper, published a short article about the verdict of a Taraz resident for the murder he committed in Atyrau 8 years ago. The article was based on the press release of the Atyrau regional court and words of the court’s spokesperson. According to the spokesperson, the convict turned oneself in to Taraz police.

The heads of the Department of Internal Affairs of Atyrau region did not agree with the wording of the published article, said that the crime was solved by police and accused the journalist in publishing information that contradicted the reality thus breaking part 2 of art.21 of the Media Law.

The spokesperson of the Department of Internal Affairs Nazymgul Kaisagaliyeva in a phone conversation asked the journalist to come to the Department for inquiry in spite of the fact that it was a day off. Then the first deputy of the Dapartment Khamza Umbetkaliyev joined the telephone conversation and warned Sultangaliyev that if he did not come, he would be called by summons.

The journalist did not go for interrogation to the police, but the newspaper published the police verson of the story.

Comment of “Adil Soz”

If the police officers believe that the journalist infringed their non-property rights, they shoul turn to the court to protect their right instead of using their job position and threatening the journalist to talk to him. By the way, the law does not stipulate any liability for journalists for breaking part 2 of art.21 of the Media Law.

The regulations for summons are stipulated by the Criminal Procedure Code which does not contain any article that entitled police officers to summon a person with no procedural status. That is to say that police officers has no right to summon a person before they start a pre-trial investigation.

By the way? the international standards put the demand to come the Department of Internal Affairs on the day off to tortures.