Kazakhstan
Who could forget Kazakhstan’s ‘Stripping Journalist’ – the successful, sassy, strong and sophisticated – Guljan Yergaliyeva. neweurasia wrote about the controversial on-spring of her independent news website Guljan.org back in June 2011. But it’s not YouTube’s naked Yergaliyeva who is making the news 5 months later – rather a different Guljan.org journalist, Valery Surganov.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) introduces the situation:
“A criminal case against Surganov was launched on July 20 after the deputy chief of the Pavlodar Oblast financial police, Sanzhar Aliyev, sued him for libel.”
The journalist’s article, “The Knights of the Financial Police,” accused Aliyev of not only promiscuity, but alluded to sexual violence, accusing him of having had raped a local woman – a story that was said to be referenced from a former colleague of the Aliyev’s. But Aliyev used his influential position in society to avoid prosecution. Aliyev very obviously denied these allegations – after all, who would actually admit to such a shameful crime? And so now, rather than the bad guy being punished, it’s the journalist who is being unjustly reprimanded.
Read the full story »
Esquire-Russian analyzed UN’s World Population Prospects (2010 revision) and The Economist data and came up with a map that shows a forecast of the extinction of various nations based on the so-called net replacement rate – the average number of girls, delivered by an average woman in a lifetime in a particular country and survived until the end of the reproductive period at these levels.
According to the map, countries which has less than millennium to exist are marked in brown. “Light browned” nations will live in the 3000-3299 years period. “Milky” identifies those who live from 3300 to 3999 years more. “Orange” countries will exist from 4000 to 9999, and those countries colored in “gray” will live for 10,000 or more.
All green countries on the map are the luckiest — they will never disappear, the “immortals.” Read the full story »
Criminals brought to justice.
This is an everyday tagline journalists write about when covering common-day societal happenings – and sometimes it’s a tagline that describes the injustice that swarms their own profession – particularly in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, today.
Killing a journalist is killing a civil servant. Killing a journalist not only kills the voice of a community, but also kills the news, the ambitious and trusted medium through which we learn about the news and the vehicle through which we learn about what goes on in society.
On October 11th, 3 men were sentenced for the murder of independent Kyrgyz opposition journalist Gennady Pavlyuk, in Kazakhstan. Pavlyuk, 51, died on December 22nd 2009 after being thrown – hands and feet bound – from the 6th floor of a building in the “Apple” city of Almaty. And 2 years later, an answer to the puzzle has finally been instituted.
Many Westerners view ballroom dance as a stuffy activity in which our parents or grandparents engaged. We have visions of coat tails, long dresses, and couples whirling endlessly around a ballroom floor, barely making eye contact, or even touching each other in any appreciable way. However, anyone who has experienced an international DanceSport competition first-hand knows that the image described above is completely untrue.
For many former professional ballet or modern dancers, DanceSport has become the way to continue dancing after their careers with professional companies have ended. The prize money and sponsorships can be quite large, and the DanceSport circuit is worldwide. But here’s something you might find interesting: over the last five years, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan have emerged as new DanceSport powerhouses, with multiple couples achieving high rankings internationally and new membership in the World Dance Federation.
Long time award-winning American CNN journalist Larry King – the man of the Larry King Live show – visited Kazakhstan last week. With more than just oil on King’s mind – the world-renown broadcaster’s comment on ‘democracy’, and how it relates to Kazakhstan, renders as noteworthy.
King brought his journalism skills to Central Asia to moderate the KAZENERGY Eurasian Forum, which was held at the Palace of Independence on October 4-5, 2011 in Astana. Over the years, the event as been seen as significant for both Kazakhstan – a leading global producer of uranium – and the Caspian Sea region.
INTERFAX-Kazakhstan said this year “700 delegates representing major intentional oil and gas corporations and government officials from 40 countries” were expected to attend. This year the forum was aimed at celebrating 2 decades of the country’s independence. Before declaring itself independent, Kazakhstan was known as the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, under the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).
Kazakhstan’s Almaty-based independent news website Stan TV has recently faced an attack – which has been brewing in its essence since August. The site commonly provides video materials to the Russian-Based satellite broadcaster K+ and also provides information to the Associated Press Television News.
So, why the attack – or better said – an intensification on the attack? Because the media outlet, together with Namystan, covered a strike by oil workers in Mangystau, which was – it goes without saying – suppressed by authorities, Reporters Without Borders (RWB) informs.
On September 27th, an Almaty court ordered for the closing of the media outlet’s production studio and the dismantling of its receiver-transmitter satellite dish. And the reason – because Stan TV failed to comply with the standards of Kazakhstan’s public health inspection agency.
Three of the 28 extradited ethnic Uzbeks extradited to Uzbekistan in June, were sentenced to different prison terms, with the longest being 15 years.
On September 13, 2011, Tashkent region Criminal Court sentenced Kobiljon Kurbanov, 45, to four years of prison (article 216 (Illegal organization of public unions or religious organizations) of the Uzbek criminal code), Initiative Group of Human Rights Defenders of Uzbekistan (IGIHRDU) reports.
On August 17, 2011, Surkhandarya Criminal Court sentenced Boltaev, Akhmad Olimovich, 43, to 15 years of imprisonment. The judge had charged him with articles 159 (Encroachment upon the constitutional order of the Republic of Uzbekistan), 244-1 (Creation or distribution of materials that threaten public security and order) and 244-2 (Organizing and participation of religious, separatist, fundamentalist and other kinds of prohibited organizations).
Appelation Court decided to shorten the term to 13 years.
The same day, Syrdarya Criminal Court sentenced Akbarov, Fayzillakhon Kobilovich, 21, to five years of prison term (article 244-1 (Creation or distribution of materials that threaten public security and order). Read the full story »
Freedom of artistic expression – social, economic and political – is currently being celebrated in Kazakhstan.
Today, September 18th, is Almaty Day – and in celebration – the streets of this Kazakh city are revisiting the wonder-years via photographs and music.
At Shokan Valikhanov square, in front of Almaty’s Science Academy, between Kyrmangazy and Kunayev streets, the “Almaty Beinesi” photo exhibition can be found.
Tengrinews.kz quotes Akmurza Rustambekov, President of Architects Union, saying:
“All these unique buildings and facilities gave Almaty its own style. Almaty was called Mecca of Soviet architecture and the chronicles of the city are very precious for its citizens.”
Central Asia’s wealthiest country is well known to be Kazakhstan, with its oil-oil-oil. And thought the country’s media isn’t upholding a great reputation in some aspects, hence “blocking websites to battle religious extremism”, it is indeed prospering in other aspects, hence news that the country will welcome Forbes magazine to its list of available medias.
Kazakhstan is the 18th country to receive a local language edition of Forbes, the first Central Asian country to receive the iconic US international business magazine, and the third country to receive it on the list of former Soviet countries after Russia and Ukraine.
Forbes will be the first international financial news brand to come to the area. And to highlight this media-milestone, Miguel Forbes, Forbes Television and Licensing President was quoted by Business Wire saying:
“Forbes Kazakhstan is an important addition to our growing footprint in the region.”
“Legal Media-Center” Public Foundation invites journalists for trainings in Astana and Almaty. The initiative is supported by OSCE Center in Astana and is aimed at increasing the journalists’ professional level. The international standards of journalism and their practical application will be taught.
The first training is called “Access to information and accreditation: international practice”. It is going to take place in Astana on the 12-13th of September at the conference-hall of the “Imperia G” Hotel. Taras Shevchenko, the Director of the Media-Law Institute in Kiev, Ukraine, invited to be the main speaker at the event.
Another training
Journalists across the region are all invited to attend the trainings. All due expenses (meals during the events, accommodation, transport) are covered.
Applications should be sent by email: mediastana@gmail.com or faxed at 7172-97-46-09. Contact Aliya Oryntayeva ( 701 793 93 99) for details.
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