Aktobe court rejected the claim to the journalist of the "Aktobe Times" newspaper Tatyana Tokar

On May 14, the Aktobe City Court dismissed the ex-official’s claim to the Aktobe Times reporter Tatyana Tokar, Azattyk Radio reports.

The complaint of the former deputy head of the territorial inspection committee of the state inspection in the agricultural sector of the Ministry of Agriculture Yerlan Orynbayev was for the article published in the Aktobe Times  on February 21, 2019.

The disputable article describes the trial, that followed the statement of Orynbayev's subordinate about “assault on the hand”. The newspaper also published a photo taken in the courtroom shot from behind of the former official. Yerlan Orynbayev  insists in his lawsuit that the use of his photo by a journalist was illegal and claims that the information in the article discredits his honor and dignity. The plaintiff demanded a million tenge from the journalist as a compensation for moral harm.

Judge Nazgul Kanapiya, who was hearing the case, explained her ruling by the fact that a journalist is not obliged to ask permission for use of photo, if the image of a person is related to performing his/her official duties. The judge also pointed out that the article in "Aktobe Times" was written in the wake of an open court hearings and provides information related to the performing of official duties by Orynbayev.