Tag: persecution of journalists

For several years, the couple, Aidos and Natalia Sadykov was persecuted in their homeland due to their journalistic activities. They were forced to leave Kazakhstan, as Natalia faced imprisonment for libel.

On 11.03.2014, at the Crimean border, an aggravated robbery was committed against the film crew of the “ТК SKY TG 24” Italian television channel. Similar cases have become common on the Crimean peninsula in parallel with the start of the occupation by Russian armed forces.

Several Ukrainian activists and journalists have been kidnapped in the Crimea by so-called ‘vigilantes’ and representatives of the ‘Crimean Self-defence Forces’. Their whereabouts remain unknown.

As during previous clashes on Independence Square, on 30 November, 2013, and on 1 December, 2013, near the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, numerous violations of rights of third parties and journalists, were recorded during the events on Hrushevskoho Street which began on 19 January, 2014.

Dozens of journalists and protesters were ruthlessly beaten by special forces ‘Berkut’. Several medical volunteers were also subjected to battery. Below, the Open Dialogue Foundation presents a list of victims.

The official cause of death of Kazakh journalist Igor Larra has not yet been confirmed to his family. During his life, Larra was threatened repeatedly and attacked in connection with his professional activity.

The threats against the independent press in Kazakhstan are becoming a reality: Guzyal Baydalinova, an employee of the closed newspaper ‘Golos Respubliki’, was attacked before the very eyes of her neighbours. There is reason to believe that Special Forces of Kazakhstan were involved in the attack

The critical deterioration of the situation of freedom of speech in Kazakhstan has been publicly announced by representatives of Kazakhstan community and European politicians

A number of independent media outlets have been banned in Kazakhstan. The prohibition of the activity does not concern just editorial offices of these media, but also the journalists who have worked for the outlets.