Joint statement
May 23, 2002
The public and journalist community
of the republic is shocked by growing storm of criminal
encroachments upon independent mass media and journalists. So,
during the night March 29, 2002 unknown individuals fired at
transmitting cable (feeder) of the television company “TAN”. As a
result the cable was broken, and it took more than a month to
restore the mutilated technical equipment. On May 15 strangers
damaged the feeder once again, by piercing it through by steel
needle and short-circuiting contacts, and then they soldered up the
braid in order to hide traits of the damage. On May 3 publishing
house of the LRP “Ak Zhayik” in Atyrau was set on fire at 4.30.
Strangers, have broken windows of
the building and threw Molotov cocktails into the premises. New
expensive equipment was disabled as result of the arson, the
building received substantial damage, stocks of paper and other
materials were also damaged. Around 11 am on May 19 employees of the
editorial office of the newspaper “Delovoye Obozreniye Respublika”
found decapitated dog, which was hanging from the office window,
with the note “There won’t be a next time“. The dog’s head with
analogous note was found in the yard of the house of the
chief-editor of the newspaper Irina Petrushova. Prior to this, on
March 20, funeral wreaths were delivered to the office of the same
newspaper and to the house of Petrushova with the words: “To dear
Irina Albertovna from her colleagues”. As usually, authors of this
“joke” were not found. Molotov cocktails were thrown into the office
of the editorial newspaper “DO Republika” from both sides of the
building on the night of May 22. Office equipment was obliterated,
premises were burned down, and there is no office any longer. On May
21 editorial office of opposition newspaper “SolDat” was attacked,
whose office located in privately rented apartment. The journalist
Bakhytgul Makinbai and technical editor Kenzhe Aitpakiyev were
assaulted. Criminals threatened further attacks if the newspaper
continued publishing. Chief-editor of “SolDat” Yermurat Bapi reports
that the assailants took away equipment with the total cost of 19
thousand dollars, as a result publishing of the newspaper might
suspend for at least one month. Such actions became the result of
the authorities’ weakness to present these publications reasoned
claims in legal order. Throughout several months the authorities
continue endless court persecutions against them in criminal, civil
and administrative order. Individuals guilty of any of these crimes
were not found. The authorities never expressed its attitude towards
bandit attacks on independent mass media. Thus, the impression of
total indifference of higher state officials to democracy destinies
was created. So, crime as a method of struggle with opponents may
become everyday constituent part of the public life of the country.
We urge all civil, political and state institutions of Kazakhstan to
take all necessary steps towards immediate stopping of criminal
actions in relation to independent mass media and journalists. We
encourage all international public organizations to support struggle
of Kazakhstan’s journalists for free press.
Tamara Kaleyeva, president of the
International Foundation for protection of freedom of speech “Adil
Soz”
Oleg Katsiyev, director of the
Representative office of Internews Network in Kazakhstan
Seitkazy Matayev, Chairman of the
Board of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan |