Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan closed newspaper “Alma-Ata Info”

Deputy for Chief Editor of the newspaper “Alma-Ata Info” Raushan Yesergepova addressed to Committee of Information and Achieves in October 2009. She asked about stoppage of the edition in connection with arrest and conviction to three years of imprisonment of Chief Editor of the newspaper Ramazan Yesergepov and financial problems, which were caused by it.

In January 2010 Raushan addressed to Committee of Information and Achieves again. She was interested in her statement. At the end of February servicemen of Committee of Information and Achieves sent official reply to her. The edition “Alma-Ata Info” has been out of registration of media outlets in accordance with demands of point 5 and article 10 of law “On Mass Media”. It was done by order №126 dated on November 03, 2009 of Chairman of Committee in authorized body.

Opposition newspaper was closed without judgment actually and against owner’s wish.  Article 13 of law “On Mass Media” of the Republic of Kazakhstan established that closure and stoppage of media outlet could be done by court decision or owner; article 10 of law “On Mass Media” of the Republic of Kazakhstan provided right for Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan about admittance of force forfeiting during media outlet’s registration. It meant closure of printed mass media by own initiative, if publication of the newspaper was stopped during three or more months.