Almaty court sentences ex-Orda.kz editor Gulnar Bazhkenova to eight years
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
An Almaty court sentenced former Orda.kz editor-in-chief Gulnar Bazhkenova to eight years in prison, suspended for two years because she has a child under 14. The court also banned her from journalism and public activity for five years and ordered her to pay 88 million tenge to OrdaMedia.kz and 7.85 million tenge to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy. Rights groups condemned the verdict as part of a broader crackdown on media ahead of upcoming elections.
Key Facts
- Gulnar Bazhkenova received an eight-year prison sentence with a two-year suspension because she has a child under 14.
- The court banned Bazhkenova from journalism, public activity, and leading organizations for five years.
- Bazhkenova was ordered to pay 88 million tenge to OrdaMedia.kz and 7.85 million tenge to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy.
- Nine Kazakhstani and international rights organizations, including Adil Soz and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, demanded an end to persecution of journalists.
- Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov ordered agreements with China's Hunan Junxin Environmental Protection within a month for waste-to-energy plants in major cities.
The Verdict
An Almaty court found Bazhkenova guilty of spreading false information, embezzlement, and illegal entrepreneurship. Bazhkenova rejected all charges against her. The court partially satisfied civil claims, including 88 million tenge to OrdaMedia.kz and 7.85 million tenge to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy. The International Partnership for Human Rights and the Committee to Protect Journalists sharply condemned the sentence.
Rights Groups' Response
Nine Kazakhstani and international rights organizations, including Adil Soz and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, demanded that authorities stop persecuting journalists and media. The statement expressed concern over criminal cases against Dinara Yegeubayeva, Lukpan Akhmedyarov, and Azamat Omarov, the sentence of journalist Alexandra Alekhova, and blocking of independent journalists' accounts. The organizations called on Kazakhstan's international partners to publicly respond to the situation with freedom of speech. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva said her ministry does not block accounts of media, journalists, or bloggers on social networks. Balayeva called reports of mass blockings an attempt to discredit the state and stressed that fighting illegal content should not restrict freedom of speech.
Other Media Pressure
In Almaty, a stand-up performance by comedian Galym Kaliakbarov scheduled for August 21 was cancelled. Organizers of Central Stand Up Club cited reasons beyond their control and promised to refund tickets. A day earlier in Astana, police interrupted his concert; the akimat said organizers had not notified authorities 10 days in advance, which is required for public safety. Kaliakbarov later said on Instagram that he himself cancelled the Almaty concert due to ongoing depression influenced by the Astana situation.
1 source
Almaty court sentences ex-Orda.kz editor Gulnar Bazhkenova to eight years
