KAZAKHSTAN: OPPOSITION WEBSITES BLOCKED

UNCLAS ASTANA 002935

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN (M. O'MARA)

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PREL KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: OPPOSITION WEBSITES BLOCKED


1. (U) On October 24, Tamara Kaleyeva of the media watchdog group
Adil Soz and web publishers Yuriy Mizinov and Sergey Duvanov held a
press conference in Almaty to criticize the blockage within
Kazakhstan of four independent/opposition-oriented websites.
According to the press conference organizers, the websites
www.zonakz.net (published by Mizinov),www.kub.kz, and www.geo.kz
have been inaccessible since October 18, and that the website
www.inkar.info (published by Duvanov) has been inaccessible since
October 22. The press conference organizers alleged that blockage
of www.zonakz.net originated in Russia, through intervention
purportedly initiated by the official Kazakhstani telecommunications
provider Kazakhtelecom; the rest were blocked by Kazakhtelecom in
Kazakhstan. (Note: Zonakz.net and inkar.info are accessible, but
not through Kazakhstani internet service providers. End note.)


2. (SBU) Kaleyeva, Mizinov, and Duvanov alleged that the websites
were blocked because they recently published MP3 audio recordings
and transcripts of telephone conversations between high-level
government officials, and that the government was trying to block
all information relating to this compromising information. (Note:
The websites published transcripts of three telephone conversations
between Minister of Internal Affairs Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov and
Vladimir Ni, the former head of the Presidential Administration.
The telephone conversations in general concerned President
Nazarbayev's negative reaction to a purported investigation of
oligarch Vladimir Kim. Some journalists speculated that Rakhat
Aliyev released the audio transcripts, though Aliyev refused to
comment on his connection to the transcripts in an interview with
Respublika newspaper. End note.) The press conference organizers
criticized the absence of any judicial process before the websites
were blocked.


3. (U) According to press reports, Minister of Culture and
Information Yermukhamet Yertysbayev denied any knowledge or
responsibility for the blockage of the websites, and speculated that
there may be technical reasons for the problem. He said that his
ministry has not closed any newspapers or journals or websites.


4. (SBU) Comment: There is strong reason to suspect that Aliyev is
the source of the audio recordings. The most likely scenario, we
believe, is that after their release, senior government officials
intervened to block the websites and limit distribution of the
information to the Kazakhstani public. Ultimately, blocking the
websites will prove futile, as there are methods to circumvent the
blockages and journalists will continue to share the recordings and
transcripts. Instead, the website blockages will only serve to
raise further questions about the Government of Kazakhstan's
commitment to freedom of speech. End comment.



ORDWAY