Can anyone be above the media law?

The journalist of the newspaper "Kursiv" Tamara Sukhomlinova applied with a written request for information to the chairman of the board of JSC "International airport of Atyrau" E.Kerey. In particular, she was interested in such information as the characteristics of the runway, the modernization of the airport building, the volume of passenger traffic, security, tariffs for services.

The answer was not provided within the legal period stipulated by  the law "On Mass Media". Deputy Chairman of the JSC Board G.Kabdualieva explained to the journalist that JSC "International Airport Atyrau" is not obliged to answer to mass media requests since the newspaper is not a controlling state body or a shareholder of their enterprise, and has no right to set any time limits for providing a response to a request. Kabdualieva also did not want to give a written reasoned refusal to provide information.

Commentary of Adil Soz:

For the attention of airport employees: they are obliged to provide information on mass media requests. In this case JSC "International Airport Atyrau" violated the norms of free access to information: Art. 2, 18-1 of the Law of Republic of Kazakhstan "On Mass Media", and art. 6 of the Law of Republic of Kazkahstan "On Access to Information". They violated not only the rights of journalists, but  the right of readers of the newspaper "Kursiv" to receive information as well.

Illegal refusal to provide information leads to civil, administrative and criminal liability.