What about heads of mass media and journalistic NGO’s of Kazakhstan want to ask for President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
22 april 2009
Heads of some mass media and NGO’s of the Republic of Kazakhstan have said about their intention to meet with President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. They have sent a letter to Nursultan Nazarbayev.
There was a text of letter:
Journalists of the Republic of Kazakhstan remember Media Forum 2004 very well, where you said that you put a veto upon law “On Mass Media”, adopted by Parliament. You have stopped planned tendency of legislative restrictions of freedom of speech, guaranteed by Constitution of Kazakhstan.
You have to pay attention to the situation with home mass media for some time.
In February 2009 you have signed law “On Amendments in Legislation of Mass Media’s Activity”. Kazakhstan and international society welcomed this point as origin of real liberalization of law “On Mass Media”. But, there was draft law “On Information and Communication Networks”. It was introduced in Parliament by government. This draft law contradicts to constitutional rights of citizens for getting of information. State officials have taken right for reading and estimation of given information. It was done under the pretext of Internet regulation. They can close home mass media; prohibit publication of public important information, concerning elections to legislative organs of the power, meetings, demonstrations, international relationships and e.g.
We have tried to make contact with developers of the draft law “On Information and Communication Networks” and deputies of Majilis of Parliament. But, there was no any result of it. Our legislative proposals and recommendations of OSCE are ignored.
We think that it is necessary usage of corresponded profile laws in struggle for terrorism, extremism and other grave crimes not influencing on basic democratic principles of freedom of speech. State officials prefer to use simple way. They look at mass media as source of crime and interfere into their professional rights.
In 2008 draft law “On Mass Media” was recalled from Parliament and dismissed. It was developed by journalistic NGO’s. As a result of it suits to journalists and mass media about protection of personal non-property rights just as grave crimes against humanity have no any prescriptions. There are swollen sums of money as recovery for moral damage.
Ministry of Internal Affairs develops draft law on defamation refusing decriminalization and removes libel and insult to the category of civil disputes during three years. You have made some recommendations for state officials, concerning critic in mass media. As a result of it they understood it as signal for prosecution and liquidation of non-favor editions for them.
Now, three journalists are in prison for their professional activity. Lawyer Vadim Kuramshin was condemned to three years and ten months for article about concrete peasant farm in the newspaper “Epokha”. Chief Editor of the newspaper “Zakon I Pravosudie” Tokbergen Abiev has made feeble attempt to buy discredited information on some judges. As a result of it he was condemned to six years of imprisonment. Chief Editor of the newspaper “Alma-ata Info” Ramazan Yesergepov is in pre-trial prison and charged in making of serious crimes from January 2009. He has published service letter of Department of Committee of National Security of Zhambyl region.
1 milliard 770 millions tenge were presented as recovery for moral damage to mass media and journalists of the Republic of Kazakhstan. There were 110 suits; the plaintiffs are: 47-state officials and 40-legal entities. There is a statistic of first quarter 2009: 9 accusations- in criminal order and 45- in civil one.
There were cases of attacks on journalists and threats of bodily injury in relation to independent editions; unpunished numerous facts of infringement into legal professional activity of journalists and groundless refusals in getting of public important information.
Dear Nursultan Abishevich!
We think that your will as President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and guarantor of keeping of Constitution of Kazakhstan will change present heavy position and trouble perspectives, which are promised by state officials and lawyers in relation to home mass media and journalists.
We ask for you to use your authority for recall of draft law from Parliament on regulation of information and communication networks and make proper orders about active work on law reform of mass media’s activity in accordance with democratic principles of freedom of speech.
We ask for you about personal audience to tell about real problems of day-to-day activity of home mass media and argue our proposals in interests of Kazakhstan’s people.
There are authors of letter:
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Svoboda slova” Gulzhan Yergalieva;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Zhas Alash” Rysbek Sarsenbayuly;
Founder of the newspaper “Taszhargan” Yermurat Bapi;
Deputy for Chief Editor of the newspaper “Respublika” Oksana Makushina;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Obschestvennaya pozitsiya” Rozlan Taukina;
Deputy for Chief Editor of the newspaper “Alma-ata Info” Raushan Yesergepova;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Kazakhstan” Sergazy Mukhtarbekov;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Azat” Nazira Darimbet;
Deputy for Chief Editor of the newspaper “Alga” Vladimir Radionov;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Vzglyad” Igor Vinyavskiy;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Moya Respublika” Tatiana Trubacheva;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Pravda Kazakhstana” Issa Saya;
Chief Editor of the Internet-newspaper “Zonakz.net” Yuri Mizinov;
Chief Editor of the portal “Respublika” Anastasia Novikova;
President of International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil soz” Tamara Kaleyeva.
This letter was sent by express post, by International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil soz” on the instruction of authors.
There was a text of letter:
Journalists of the Republic of Kazakhstan remember Media Forum 2004 very well, where you said that you put a veto upon law “On Mass Media”, adopted by Parliament. You have stopped planned tendency of legislative restrictions of freedom of speech, guaranteed by Constitution of Kazakhstan.
You have to pay attention to the situation with home mass media for some time.
In February 2009 you have signed law “On Amendments in Legislation of Mass Media’s Activity”. Kazakhstan and international society welcomed this point as origin of real liberalization of law “On Mass Media”. But, there was draft law “On Information and Communication Networks”. It was introduced in Parliament by government. This draft law contradicts to constitutional rights of citizens for getting of information. State officials have taken right for reading and estimation of given information. It was done under the pretext of Internet regulation. They can close home mass media; prohibit publication of public important information, concerning elections to legislative organs of the power, meetings, demonstrations, international relationships and e.g.
We have tried to make contact with developers of the draft law “On Information and Communication Networks” and deputies of Majilis of Parliament. But, there was no any result of it. Our legislative proposals and recommendations of OSCE are ignored.
We think that it is necessary usage of corresponded profile laws in struggle for terrorism, extremism and other grave crimes not influencing on basic democratic principles of freedom of speech. State officials prefer to use simple way. They look at mass media as source of crime and interfere into their professional rights.
In 2008 draft law “On Mass Media” was recalled from Parliament and dismissed. It was developed by journalistic NGO’s. As a result of it suits to journalists and mass media about protection of personal non-property rights just as grave crimes against humanity have no any prescriptions. There are swollen sums of money as recovery for moral damage.
Ministry of Internal Affairs develops draft law on defamation refusing decriminalization and removes libel and insult to the category of civil disputes during three years. You have made some recommendations for state officials, concerning critic in mass media. As a result of it they understood it as signal for prosecution and liquidation of non-favor editions for them.
Now, three journalists are in prison for their professional activity. Lawyer Vadim Kuramshin was condemned to three years and ten months for article about concrete peasant farm in the newspaper “Epokha”. Chief Editor of the newspaper “Zakon I Pravosudie” Tokbergen Abiev has made feeble attempt to buy discredited information on some judges. As a result of it he was condemned to six years of imprisonment. Chief Editor of the newspaper “Alma-ata Info” Ramazan Yesergepov is in pre-trial prison and charged in making of serious crimes from January 2009. He has published service letter of Department of Committee of National Security of Zhambyl region.
1 milliard 770 millions tenge were presented as recovery for moral damage to mass media and journalists of the Republic of Kazakhstan. There were 110 suits; the plaintiffs are: 47-state officials and 40-legal entities. There is a statistic of first quarter 2009: 9 accusations- in criminal order and 45- in civil one.
There were cases of attacks on journalists and threats of bodily injury in relation to independent editions; unpunished numerous facts of infringement into legal professional activity of journalists and groundless refusals in getting of public important information.
Dear Nursultan Abishevich!
We think that your will as President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and guarantor of keeping of Constitution of Kazakhstan will change present heavy position and trouble perspectives, which are promised by state officials and lawyers in relation to home mass media and journalists.
We ask for you to use your authority for recall of draft law from Parliament on regulation of information and communication networks and make proper orders about active work on law reform of mass media’s activity in accordance with democratic principles of freedom of speech.
We ask for you about personal audience to tell about real problems of day-to-day activity of home mass media and argue our proposals in interests of Kazakhstan’s people.
There are authors of letter:
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Svoboda slova” Gulzhan Yergalieva;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Zhas Alash” Rysbek Sarsenbayuly;
Founder of the newspaper “Taszhargan” Yermurat Bapi;
Deputy for Chief Editor of the newspaper “Respublika” Oksana Makushina;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Obschestvennaya pozitsiya” Rozlan Taukina;
Deputy for Chief Editor of the newspaper “Alma-ata Info” Raushan Yesergepova;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Kazakhstan” Sergazy Mukhtarbekov;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Azat” Nazira Darimbet;
Deputy for Chief Editor of the newspaper “Alga” Vladimir Radionov;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Vzglyad” Igor Vinyavskiy;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Moya Respublika” Tatiana Trubacheva;
Chief Editor of the newspaper “Pravda Kazakhstana” Issa Saya;
Chief Editor of the Internet-newspaper “Zonakz.net” Yuri Mizinov;
Chief Editor of the portal “Respublika” Anastasia Novikova;
President of International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil soz” Tamara Kaleyeva.
This letter was sent by express post, by International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil soz” on the instruction of authors.
