Water-pipes of contention

On September 13, journalists of Radio Azattyk and representatives of other media appealed to the vice-governor of Ashybulak rural district of Almaty region Yerlan Sayranuly Meirmanov  with a request to clarify the situation with the supply of drinking water through newly laid water-pipes. Complaints of the local residents were the readson for the appeal. They assured that they were supplied with technical and not drinking water.

 

The vice-governor responded that water-pipe renovation were done in the village and the new drinking water pipes that were laid, meet the standards and have certificates. However, journalists continued to ask  questions. The video from the meeting shows that at first E. Meirmanov escaped from the journalists and tried to hide in his office, and then suddenly pushed the correspondent of Radio Azattyk Nurgul Tapaeva and her other colleagues out of the office with use of force and shut the door.

 

Commentary of the legal service of "Adil Soz" Foundation:

In this case, the journalist's rights to exercise professional activities  and to collect information were violated. Accordingly, the right of the web-site readers to receive information was violated as well. In accordnce with Art. 6 of the law "On access to information" that is referred to use of budget money can not be limited. Interfering with legal professional activity of journalist is evident.

 

A journalist has the right to apply to law enforcement agencies with a demand to conduct a pre-trial investigation of this fact and to bring the official to criminal liability under Part 2 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Interfering with legal professional activity of journalist with the use of violence. The minimum penalty under this article is a fine of up to two thousand MCI (Monthly calculation index), maximum is imprisonment for up to three years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions for up to three years