The rally did not take place, but journalists were detained

On June 23 when a rally for free education announced by M. Ablyazov was expected, policemen showed extraordinary enthusiam.In Uralsk journalists of the local newspaper "Uralskaya Nedelya" Nana Iksanova, Maria Melnikova, Lyudmila Kalashnikova, editor of the newspaper Lukpan Akhmedyarov, and staff correspondent of "Radio Azattyk" for Western Kazakhstan region Sanat Urnaliev were interrogated as witnesses in several criminal cases. Journalists suggest that such work zeal of policemen, as well as employees of the local Department of State Revenue was related to the fact that they intended to cover a rally that could take place on the central square of the city as the journalists had learnt from police on the eve of the event.

- A couple of days before, some of us came to the police and policemnen and prosecutors told us that a rally was supposed to be held in the square" - Lukpan Akhmedyarov said. - They warned us that participation in the rally is illegal. At the same time, they seemed to have forgotten about the law on mass media that gives journalists the right to attend in rallies and demonstrations upon presentation of journalist certificate. It's our job to cover everything that's happening around us. Naturally, having learnt from the police about the rally that could take place on the square, I sent my correspondents there to cover the event.

Uniformed people came to each of the journalists who came to the square and served summonses for interrogation as witnesses. Interrogations were scheduled for the same time as the alleged rally was to begin. Police officers talked to the ladies politely and correctly, but as for Sanat Uraliev they were tough on him. Immediately after they served summons to him, the grabbed the journalist, took off his mobile phone and crammed the guy into a minibus.

Nana Iksanova and Maria Melnikova were also taken to the Department of Internal Affairs after they were served summons. As for Lukpan Akhmedyarov, he was taken by the police and put into the police car in front of his home. Officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not answer any of Lukpapan's questions.

They silently brought the journalist to the city department of internal affairs and put him in one of the rooms. They said that he was summoned as a witness due to investigation of the case of pensioner Bakiza Khalelova. However, Akhmadyarov was not served summons. The journalist was kept in the city department until 11 am. Then he was told that the investigator could not meet him and was let out. As soon as the journalist left the city department ogf internal affairs, he received a phone call from an investigator of the local Department of State revenue who reminded that Akhmedyarov was expected to come for interrogation in the criminal case about slot machines by noon. Akhmedyarov had been served summons on the eve. When Akhmedyarov arrived to the Department of state revenue, he met there another employee of the newspaper "Uralskaya Nedelya" (Uralsk Week). Lyudmila Kalashnikova was also summoned to the Department to be interrogated in the same case.

- I am sure that all these actions of policemen and employees of he Dapertment of State Revenue were aimed at preventing journalists from attending an unsanctioned rally, that, by the way, did not take place, - Lukpan Akhmedyarov commented on the situation. - Formally, we were not detained, but simply summoned for interrogations as witnesses. If all criminal cases are investigated with such enthusiazm and zeal, we would have no unsolved crimes. Just think, people in the sweat of their brows work hard with such devotion on their professional holiday (June 23 is Police's Day in Kazakhstan).

By 3 PM Nana Iksanova and Maria Melnikov were released from the Department of internal affairs. But they were immediately served summons for interrogation in the city department on another criminal case. After being interrogatd at the Dapertment of State revenue Akhmedyarov was taken to the department of internal affairs for another interrogation. Lyudmila Kalashnikov was released. Nothing is known on the fate of Sanat Urnaliev at the moment. The call to his phone passes through, but the journalist does not pick up the phone. Nana Iksanova and Maria Melnikova left the city department of intermnal affairs after 6 pm.

In Almaty Andrey Sviridov, a journalist of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, was detained and taken to the Medeu district police department. In Astana, the correspondent of Azattyk Radio Madi Bekmaganbet was detained, he was released after documents check. In Aktobe journalist of the newspaper "Diapazon" Bagdat Asylbek was detained near the building of the city akimat (local authoritites) and was taken to Ilek police department.