"Journalists of some mass media sources wrote an open letter to the akim of Almaty B. Baybek and initiated collection of signatures under the letter. The letter informs that on August 10 the reporter of KazTAG new agency was not allowed to attend the meeting of the Public Council on security issues of Almaty, moreover, the press service of the akimat invited journalists selectively. Adil Soz fund supports this appeal and states that this, unfortunately, is a common situation. Such conduct of the city administration is nothing but direct discrimination in the freedom for information. Officials violate the principle of equal access to information, enshrined in paragraph 5 of Art. 4 of the law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On access to information", reads the statement.
The fund added that journalists are often recommended to "apply to the law enforcement bodies with a demand to bring the guilty officials to criminal liability" under art. 158 "Obstruction of the lawful professional activity of a journalist".
"Yes, such a norm exists, but it is not easy to get a criminal case. It is more effective to file a complaint about the illegal actions of an official to a higher authority and to the Agency for Civil Service and Corruption Combat. In general, when a journalist whose rights have been violated, decides to appeal against illegal actions of an official, he must clearly understand what he wants: to make a scandal, to have an information case to write about it in social networks or his goal is to change the situation realistically so that next time an official would not determine the circle of mass media and journalists to be admitted to an event. If the journalist intends to change the situation, it is more effective to appeal illegal actions of an official to the higher authorities up to the presidential administration," reads the statement.
Photo source: picture from an open source