Over 30 Kazakhstan Journalists Complete Advanced Training in Fact-Checking and Investigative Journalism
From 7 to 9 September 2024 in Almaty took place a three-day intensive seminar on training of editors-factcheckers, organized by the International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech "Adil Soz" with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kazakhstan and the independent international team of investigators and citizen journalists Bellingcat.
Applications for participation in the seminar were submitted by about 150 journalists willing to conduct fascinating investigative journalism and make their materials more accurate and interesting. As the number of places was limited, only 30 candidates from different cities of Kazakhstan could take part.
The seminar started with a video welcome by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Republic of Kazakhstan Nico Schermers and the organizers of the event.
The trainers of the seminar were:
• Aiganysh Aidarbekova, Bellingcat researcher specializing in data work in Central Asia.
• Metin Kazama, journalist of OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project).
They provided training to Kazakhstani journalists on:
• The use of search operators and how to apply them in investigative journalism.
• Methods to verify the authenticity of photos and videos.
• The information that can be obtained using geolocation and map services.
• How to "trace" a digital footprint and where it might lead.
• The potential use of facial recognition systems by journalists.
• And much more.
All the knowledge gained was immediately reinforced through hands-on assignments and training projects.
Participant Feedback:
• "Huge thanks to the trainers and organizers. The training was incredibly interesting, useful, and informative." – Katerina Popkova.
• "I also want to express my gratitude to the organizers and speakers. Practicing during the sessions really helped everything sink in. I’ll definitely be using these new tools! A big thank you to my colleagues for sharing their experiences. You’re amazing!" – Tatyana Fayl.
• "I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the organizers at the 'Adil Soz' Foundation. Every time I attend one of these seminars, I come away with so many ideas and a renewed passion for journalism. Thank you so much. The work the foundation is doing has become a school of journalism for a common cause, and we are confident it will grow into a major public institution that advances the field of journalism. Our gratitude and appreciation are boundless." – Nurbek Daurenbekov.
About Bellingcat
Bellingcat is an independent international team of investigators and citizen journalists conducting investigations on a wide range of issues based on open-source data and social media analysis. Their work spans topics from the activities of Mexican drug cartels and crimes against humanity to identifying the use of chemical weapons and monitoring armed conflicts worldwide. Bellingcat's members and contributors come from over 20 countries. The project uniquely combines the use of cutting-edge technologies with forensic analysis and investigative journalism, consistently advocating for maximum transparency in its work.
About OCCRP
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) is one of the largest investigative journalism organizations in the world, with staff on six continents and offices in Amsterdam, Washington, and Sarajevo. OCCRP is a mission-driven, non-profit news organization that collaborates with other media outlets to publish stories that can bring about real change. It also serves as a platform for media development and the promotion of investigative journalism globally.
