Kazakhstani Journalists Seek Reversal of Media Restrictions

New parliamentary rules restrict physical access and scope of inquiry for the press

Dozens of Kazakhstani journalists have petitioned the Kurultai, Kazakhstan’s parliament, requesting greater access to the body following the passage of new restrictions, local press freedom watchdog Adil Soz reported on October 21.

According to Adil Soz, a petition signed by 40 journalists was sent to Kurultai chairman Aibek Dadebai on October 20, requesting permission to ask questions outside press conferences and briefings and more freedom to ask “unscheduled” questions.

The appeal follows the passage of new restrictions in early September, that limited journalists’ access to a designated parliamentary press center, and forbade members of the press from moving around the building unaccompanied, ostensibly for safety reasons.

The restrictions also banned journalists from asking informal questions around the parliament’s hallways, and querying unrelated topics during official press briefings.

“Accreditation should ensure journalists’ access to information and not become a tool for restricting their professional activities. The ability to ask officials questions of public interest should not depend solely on a pre-announced briefing agenda,” Adil Soz said in a note.

Local press freedom watchdogs, including the Legal Media Center, MediaNet, and the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights, have widely rejected the September restrictions, saying they contradict the country’s Mass Media law, which is supposed to grant journalists access to public officials.

The new rules follow other restrictive measures passed in mid-2024 that barred journalists from standing in corridors during cabinet meetings in the main government building.

Sign up for our English-language newsletter.

Власть — это независимое медиа в Казахстане.
Поддержите журналистику, которой доверяют.
Мы верим, что справедливое общество невозможно построить без независимой журналистики и достоверной информации. Наша редакция работает над тем чтобы правда была доступна для наших читателей на фоне большой волны фейков, манипуляций и пропаганды. Поддержите Власть.
Поддержать Власть