Protesters urge court to repeal fine against Kazakh newspaper
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 10 March 2009 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Protesters urge court to repeal fine against Kazakh newspaper, 10 March 2009, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/49b68d273d.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 10, 2009
Ermurat Bapi
Supporters of the Kazakh weekly "Taszharghan" have picketed the Almaty City Court building, demanding that it reconsider its decision to fine the periodical an amount that would force it to close.
An Almaty appeals court last month upheld a verdict against the newspaper for "damaging the reputation" of Romin Madinov, a Kazakh parliament deputy, and increased the amount of the fine tenfold to $200,000.
The editor in chief of the weekly, Ermurat Bapi, told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service that such a fine would force the newspaper to shut down.
Bapi said that the acting chairwoman of the Almaty City Court, Raushan Adilbaeva, met with the protesters.
"Taszharghan" is an opposition periodical that has been officially closed by the city authorities several times in the past and has only resumed publication after changing its name several times.
The word "taszharghan" refers to a plant that eventually grows through stone.