Case on protection of journalists in Petropavlovsk is reinvestgated after four drops

A criminal case for interfering with the legal professional activities of journalists of Khabar-24 TV channel in Petropavlovsk  was dropped for the four times.  Adil Soz reported that  on April 20.

Just after the information was published on Adil Soz website, it became known that the prosecutor's office of the North Kazakhstan region canceled the decision to drop the pre-trial investigation.

“The study of the criminal case files proved the unreasonable decision to drop the case.

Taking into account the moral and material damage caused to journalists and the cameraman of the Khabar Agency,  a decision is issued to determine the persons identified in the case as suspects and to interrogate them on the circumstances of the criminal offense committed.

Also, taking into account the obtained evidence of their guilt, decision is issued on labelling process of the suspects, make a final procedural decision and forward the case to court," the prosecutor's office said in its resolution.

As it was reported Samat Dzhakupov and Natalya Volkova, the journalists from the North Kazakhstan branch of the editorial office of the Khabar24 TV channel,  and cameraman Tolegen Imanov lodge a statement with the police. On August 2, 2021, security officers of the Dostyk Mall shopping center pushed them  out of the building. The   TV team was covering  functioning the ASHIQ program (that identifies COVID-19 status) in the Dostyk Mall.

Maybe this time Article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan will really work - for the first time since 2005?