Kazakhstan: a special place will be given to journalists for rallies
In Kazakhstan, the draft Rules of the journalist’s (a representative of the media) activity at the peaceful meetings and the form of the journalist’s distinctive signs have been submitted for public discussion. The developer of this project is the Ministry of Information and Public Development. Public discussion of this regulatory act will last until July 1.
The initial part of the project includes the procedure for the journalist’s actions at peaceful meetings: a media worker must have an official identity card and carry one or more distinctive signs. To such, the Ministry identified a vest, armband and sticker.
At the same time, it is separately stipulated that the vest should be exclusively bright blue, with a reflective inscription PRESS. The height of the letters should be at least 60 mm, the width – at least 50 mm, and the type weight – at least 12 mm. As for the armbands, they should be yellow with a black PRESS in the center of the bandage. The sticker should be a blue rectangle with a width of at least 280 mm and a height of at least 100 mm. The word PRESS should be made of silver reflective material.
The order also stipulates that to ensure the professional activities of the journalist at the rally, the local executive authority is obliged to organize an operational press center for the media if the estimated number of participants in the peaceful assembly exceeds 200 people. An operational press center can also be created on the official request of the media to the local executive authority. The request must be submitted at least one working day before the peaceful protest.
The operational press center also has several mandatory requirements: it must be limited by a special tape, provide sufficient visibility to take photos, videos and interviews and have electricity. In addition, the operational press center must have at least one officer of the internal affairs bodies to ensure the safety of journalists.
The local executive body shall ensure the participation of its representative (hereinafter – the representative) during the peaceful assembly. The representative, at the request of the journalists, accompanies them to the Operations Press Center; explains measures aimed at ensuring the safety of journalists; assists journalists in obtaining interviews, comments from organizers and participants in a peaceful assembly; and also provides contact details of an authorized person (unit) for interacting with the mass media of state bodies to obtain reliable information on issues raised at a peaceful assembly,” the order notes.
It also recalls that persons, who impede journalists from pursuing their professional activities, are liable under the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Recall that Kazakhstan took 157th place (out of 180 possible) in the rating “The World Press Freedom Index” of the international organization “Reporters Without Borders”.
