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A coalition of nine human rights organizations called on Kazakhstan to end its crackdown on independent media after authorities raided a newsroom, detained journalists and pressured reporters over their coverage.
Police searched the offices of independent news outlet Orda.kz on Dec. 1 and detained editor-in-chief Gulnara Bazhkenova, who was placed under house arrest for two months on charges of spreading false information. Investigators seized documents and equipment, and denied lawyers access to the search warrant, according to the coalition, which includes Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and seven other organizations.
Bazhkenova’s lawyer, Murat Adam, said her house arrest conditions are unusually severe: she is barred from internet access and can communicate only through legal counsel. She cannot contact relatives or employ household help despite medical conditions limiting her ability to perform certain tasks—restrictions Adam said affect her minor child.
“Kazakhstan should respect and uphold the right to media freedom and access to information,” said Maisy Weicherding, Central Asia researcher at Amnesty International.
The actions against Orda.kz come amid broader pressure on independent media. On November 28, journalists Lukpan Akhmedyarov and Raul Uporov released a documentary on their YouTube channel investigating the deaths of 270 Kazakhstani soldiers over three years. Akhmedyarov said a Defense Ministry contact warned him beforehand against “stirring up the issue with the army.” Akhmedyarov reported that after he went public with the warning, his social media accounts were temporarily taken offline.
The recent crackdown follows a pattern of tightening state control over media.
In August 2024, authorities implemented new accreditation rules allowing journalists’ credentials to be suspended for six months for twice failing to comply with event rules, which critics said could include asking unwelcome questions. The Committee to Protect Journalists warned the regulations opened “too many doors to censorship.”
In July 2025, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied accreditation to 16 journalists working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Kazakh service, Radio Azattyq, after delaying renewal applications for months. The outlet filed an administrative lawsuit challenging the decision; the case remains pending.
Anthony Bellanger, International Federation of Journalists General Secretary, said at the time: “The deliberate targeting of independent journalists by the Kazakh government is a clear attack on press freedom. It is imperative for journalists to be able to carry out their professional occupation without fear of repercussions or punishment.”
Authorities have also increasingly wielded “false information” charges against journalists. In October 2024, journalist Daniyar Adilbekov was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after sharing a Telegram post accusing an energy official of corruption. Bazhkenova now faces similar charges.
Bazhkenova’s defense team has appealed to UN Special Rapporteurs, the OSCE, the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan and CPJ.
The post Kazakhstan authorities target independent journalists in widening crackdown, rights groups say appeared first on JURIST - News.
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Police searched the offices of independent news outlet Orda.kz on Dec. 1 and detained editor-in-chief Gulnara Bazhkenova, who was placed under house arrest for two months on charges of spreading false information. Investigators seized documents and equipment, and denied lawyers access to the search warrant, according to the coalition, which includes Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and seven other organizations.
Bazhkenova’s lawyer, Murat Adam, said her house arrest conditions are unusually severe: she is barred from internet access and can communicate only through legal counsel. She cannot contact relatives or employ household help despite medical conditions limiting her ability to perform certain tasks—restrictions Adam said affect her minor child.
“Kazakhstan should respect and uphold the right to media freedom and access to information,” said Maisy Weicherding, Central Asia researcher at Amnesty International.
The actions against Orda.kz come amid broader pressure on independent media. On November 28, journalists Lukpan Akhmedyarov and Raul Uporov released a documentary on their YouTube channel investigating the deaths of 270 Kazakhstani soldiers over three years. Akhmedyarov said a Defense Ministry contact warned him beforehand against “stirring up the issue with the army.” Akhmedyarov reported that after he went public with the warning, his social media accounts were temporarily taken offline.
The recent crackdown follows a pattern of tightening state control over media.
In August 2024, authorities implemented new accreditation rules allowing journalists’ credentials to be suspended for six months for twice failing to comply with event rules, which critics said could include asking unwelcome questions. The Committee to Protect Journalists warned the regulations opened “too many doors to censorship.”
In July 2025, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied accreditation to 16 journalists working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Kazakh service, Radio Azattyq, after delaying renewal applications for months. The outlet filed an administrative lawsuit challenging the decision; the case remains pending.
Anthony Bellanger, International Federation of Journalists General Secretary, said at the time: “The deliberate targeting of independent journalists by the Kazakh government is a clear attack on press freedom. It is imperative for journalists to be able to carry out their professional occupation without fear of repercussions or punishment.”
Authorities have also increasingly wielded “false information” charges against journalists. In October 2024, journalist Daniyar Adilbekov was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after sharing a Telegram post accusing an energy official of corruption. Bazhkenova now faces similar charges.
Bazhkenova’s defense team has appealed to UN Special Rapporteurs, the OSCE, the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan and CPJ.
The post Kazakhstan authorities target independent journalists in widening crackdown, rights groups say appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.