Trial on "Khabar 24" journalists’ claim: the defendant has objections

Petropavlovsk City Court continues to hear the case on interfering with the legal professional activities of journalists of the Khabar 24 TV.

On November 4, the hearing lasted 30 minutes: Igor Grebenyuk, the lawyer of the defendant, the head of the security service of the shopping center Sultan Sagandykov, asked for recusal of the judge Asem Dzhanalina. The reason for the recusal was that on October 10  at the first hearing the judge denied the defendant’s motion to send the investigation back.

As it was reported, on August 2, 2021, Khabar 24 TV team was was covering the functioning of the ASHIQ program (that identifies COVID-19 status) in the Dostyk Mall. Security officers of the Dostyk Mall shopping center pushed them out of the building. Journalists Samat Dzhakupov, Natalya Volkova and cameraman Tolegen Imanov filed a complaint with the police. Since then, the criminal investigation was dropped for five times. Each time journalists insisted that the case was dropped illegally.

According to the Minister of Information and Public Development Darkhan Kydyrali, the relevant ministry is following the case.