Kazakhstan: criminal case against journalist Shuraev is closed

Law enforcement authorities terminated the criminal case against a well-known journalist, media manager, former member of the National Council of Public Confidence under the President of Kazakhstan, Arman Shuraev. This was announced by his lawyer Dzhokhar Utebekov.

“The investigator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs terminated the criminal case on the dissemination of knowingly false information regarding Arman Shuraev for the lack of corpus delicti. It just happened. The investigation agreed with my petition to dismiss the case and granted it. We are grateful to the personal guarantors of Arman and to all who openly spoke out in his defense. I am especially grateful to those who overcame political differences and still supported us. You have shown wisdom and demonstrated unity in protecting human rights. Thanks to everyone who sympathized! We hope to terminate ALL criminal cases under article 274 of the Criminal Code (ACCA’s remark: article on the dissemination of knowingly false information) against journalists and public figures. And of course, we wish speedy freedom to Alnur Ilyashev,” Utebekov wrote on his personal page on Facebook.

Recall, Arman Shuraev was detained on April 18 in Karaganda. According to the Police Department of Almaty, a criminal case was opened against Shuraev for disseminating knowingly false information in a state of emergency.

“Citizen Shuraev repeatedly, through social networks, disseminated knowingly false information that was not true. By his actions, Shuraev created the danger of disturbing public order and causing substantial harm to the interests of society and the state (which are protected by law) in a state of emergency,” the police of Almaty said.

At the same time, the court of Almaty denied the reporters’ presence at the court hearing on taking a measure of restraint against Shuraev.

“Regarding the participation of the media in the process, I inform you that the communication channel is limited, for technical reasons it will not be possible to connect everyone, only the participants in the process. I hope for your understanding, the courts of Almaty have always promptly reported and will report on the results of the consideration of cases that caused a public outcry. In case of receipt of the aforementioned material to the court of inquiry, we will promptly and obligatory inform the media about the results,” said Abai Zharylkasyn, spokesman for the City Court of Almaty on social networks.

The court chose a preventive measure for Shuraev not to leave the city. Immediately after that, the post of Arman Shuraev’s sister, Zhanar Shuraeva, appeared in social networks. She conveyed her brother’s words that he undertakes “not to violate the state of emergency and quarantine, and not publish unverified materials”.

Meanwhile, the second detainee under the same article, the well-known civic activist Alnur Ilyashev, is still under arrest. Recall that the court chose an arrest for a period of two months as a preventive measure for him.

The famous Kazakh human rights activist, director of the Kazakhstan’s International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, Yevgeny Zhovtis, called Ilyashev “a political prisoner”. In turn, the International Foundation for the Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil Soz” published an open appeal addressed to the Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan Gizat Nurdauletov, in which the “Adil Soz” called what was happening “witch hunt” and “crackdown”.

In addition, the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) mentioned Shuraev and Ilyashev in their report on the observance of human rights in Central Asia during the fight against coronavirus infection.