Kazakhstan restricts parliamentary press access, detains journalist Olesya Vertinskaya

September 5, 2026 at 02:24 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakhstan's parliament restricted journalists from approaching deputies in corridors, limiting questions to press briefings. Journalist Olesya Vertinskaya was placed under two-month house arrest in Atyrau on charges of bodily harm, which she and colleagues call fabricated. The moves come as President Tokayev completed a cabinet reshuffle with few new faces.

Key Facts

Parliament's press service said new rules barring journalists from approaching deputies in corridors comply with legislation and world practice.
Journalist Olesya Vertinskaya was placed under two-month house arrest in Atyrau on charges of bodily harm.
Eco-activist Aruna Ortaeva was arrested for 15 days after posting audio recordings allegedly from a closed Almaty akimat meeting on the Kok-Zhailau ski resort.
Prosecutors requested eight-year prison sentences for five activists accused of attempting to seize Akorda.
President Tokayev completed the cabinet formation, retaining Olzhas Bektenov as prime minister and returning Mukhtar Tleuberdi as foreign minister.

Press Restrictions

After footage showed a ribbon blocking journalists from approaching deputies in the parliament corridor, the kurultai press service said the new rules comply with legislation and world practice. Media representatives will no longer be able to approach deputies in the lobbies and will ask questions only at press briefings.

Journalist Detention

Journalist Olesya Vertinskaya was placed under two-month house arrest, the Adil Soz freedom of speech foundation reported. Police detained her at the exit of her home in Atyrau. She is accused of causing bodily harm, but she and her colleagues say the case is fabricated.

Activist Prosecutions

Eco-activist Aruna Ortaeva was arrested for 15 days after posting audio recordings last week allegedly from a closed Almaty akimat meeting on the Kok-Zhailau ski resort construction. The recording mentioned the planned felling of hundreds of trees, including endangered Sievers apple trees. No state body has commented on the recording's content. In Almaty, court arguments were held in the case of five activists accused of attempting to seize Akorda. The prosecutor requested eight years in a medium-security facility for Askar Nurmagan, Abduali Tagay, Duisenbek Zhashashev, Kaisar Ozbek, and Talgat Ashirov.