UNESCO on the death of Muratkhan Bazarbayev

The Director-General of UNESCO called on the authorities to investigate the death of media worker Muratkhan Bazarbayev during protests in Almaty.

- I condemn the murder of Muratkhan Bazarbayev. I call on the Kazakh authorities to investigate the death of Mr. Bazarbayev and bring those responsible to justice. Such an attack undermines freedom of the press and public access to reliable information, said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.

As it was reported, Muratkhan Bazarbayev,  the driver of Almaty TV team died on January 6. Nurzhan Zhalaukyzy, Director General of the Almaty TV, gave details of the attack on the media team:

“On the evening of January 6, they went to take a video on Republic Square. They were said that army had already secured the square. And when they turned from al-Farabi Avenue and were driving down  Furmanov street, they came under fire.”

Nurzhan Zhalaukyzy confirmed that the TV team was part of the cortege of the akim (mayor) of Almaty and was accompanying him when he was heading to the building of the city akimat (mayor's offcie).