On the 17th of January, 2012 at 1.00 p.m., Nurlan Beysenov, an officer of the National Security Committee, came to the office of the ‘Stan.kz’. He handed orders to report for interrogation on the same day (on the 17th of January, 2012 at 3.00 p.m.) to 15 workers of ‘Stan.kz’. Such an order directed at the majority of the employees of the ‘Stan.kz’ on-line portal simultaneously and during office hours disrupts the ongoing work of the office and the coverage of the evaluation of the results of the parliamentary election. This approach also makes it difficult to provide quality legal assistance to the employees receiving orders.
As for the 18th of January, 2012, interrogations of the ‘Stan.kz’ workers are ongoing, since as many as 15 persons were called by notifications. Many of them were not in the city at that time: they were on business trips, some of them had a day off, etc. The ‘Stan.kz’ workers notified the interrogation officer of this.
As for the nature of the interrogations: according to Baurzhan Mussirov, on the 17th of January, 2012 he has spent approx. 2.5 -3 hours at the interrogation. Thus far today, i.e. on the 18th of January, 2012, the following persons have been interrogated:
1. Sherniyaz Zhanabekovich Shagataev, a journalist
2. Bauyrzhan Shegebaevich Idrisov, a cameraman
3. Danesh Askarbekovich Baybolatov, a filmmaker
4. Murat Erikovich Belgibaev, the chief news director
One more person, Dmitriy Kurabaev, a vision engineer, is supposed to report for interrogation at 4.00 p.m. (Almaty time).
In principle, the same questions are being asked at the interrogation:
• Questions relating toto the events of the 16th and 17th of December, 2011 in Zhanozen.
• and additionally, questions about the structure of the company, about the finances, the organisation, the number of employed workers, the technology of work with video materials, the archive.
Attachment:
The list of the workers called for interrogation:
1. Baurzhan Dauletkulovich Musirov, the President
2. Asel Tuleugasymovna Limzhanova, an editor-in-chief
3. Zhyldyz Tuleuova, a deputy of the editor-in-chief
4. Murat Erikovich Belgibaev, the chief news director
5. Danesh Askarbekovich Baybolatov, a filmmaker
6. Sherniyaz Zhanabekovich Shagataev, a journalist
7. Azamat Sarkhytbaevich Azamat, a journalist
8. Timur Bisembaevich Ermashev, a journalist
9. Zamzagul Zhunusovna Abdrakhmanova, a journalist
10. Orken Zhoyamergenovich Bisenov, a line filmmaker
11. Viktor Vasilyevich Gudz, a chief cameraman
12. Pavel Viktorovich Engelgardt, a cameraman
13. Aleksandr Alekseyevich Platonov, a cameraman
14. Bauyrzhan Shegebaevich Idrisov, a cameraman
15. Dmitriy Kazbekovich Kurabaev, a vision engineer;
that is 15 persons altogether.
It is necessary to support and protect the ‘Stan.kz’ journalists and employees who provide coverage of the events in Kazakhstan, especially in hotspots, such as the Mangistau Province. We hereby urge the authorities of Kazakhstan to prevent the oppression of the ‘Stan.kz’ staff due to their professional activity.
For more detailed information, please contact: Lyudmyla Kozlovska, The Open Dialog Foundation, [email protected]