KAZAKHSTAN: NGO HEAD RECOMMENDS MORE ASSISTANCE TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000213

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAID KDEM KPAO KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: NGO HEAD RECOMMENDS MORE ASSISTANCE TO
JOURNALISTS FROM PRO-GOVERNMENT MEDIA

REF: (A) ASTANA 0191 (B) ASTANA 0058 (C) 08 ASTANA 2383


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Ambassador met on February 4 with Tamara
Kaleyeva, director of the media watchdog NGO "Adil Soz." Kaleyeva
said the Kazakhstani media are very polarized between pro-government
and opposition media outlets, with few truly neutral and independent
media sources. She maintained that the draft Internet law could
result in restricted access to foreign websites. She criticized
opposition journalists for a lack of vision and professionalism, and
for refusing to admit mistakes. Kaliyev suggested that the
international community focus more on training and supporting the
majority of Kazakhstani journalists, who work for pro-government
news outlets. Commenting on the criminal case against "Alma-Ata
Info" Editor-in-Chief Ramazan Yesergepov, she said there is no doubt
that Yesergepov largely brought the situation on himself, but
maintained that the Committee for National Security (KNB) "has also
gone overboard." END SUMMARY.

MEDIA ARE POLARIZED


3. (SBU) "Adil Soz" Director Tamara Kaleyeva told the Ambassador on
February 4 in Almaty that reporters in Kazakhstan are largely
subject to editorial control by the media owners, most of whom, in
turn, are subject to directives by the government. Kaleyeva
estimates there are 3,000 registered media outlets in Kazakhstan,
and 80% WaJWndependent media
outlets in Kazakhstan, both in terms of content and financing, and
they are local papers with regional@;Q#Q!Q?Qc letter of the law and how it is applied. She
cited the example of Uzbekistan, where the legislation is more
liberal, but the situation for journalists is significantly worse
than in Kazakhstan.

INTERNET LAW COULD RESTRICT ACCESS TO FOREIGN SITES


5. (SBU) The Ambassador and Kaleyeva also discussed the draft
Internet law sent to parliament on January 19. One provision of the
legislation would give authorities the power to shut down websites
for content that does not comply with Kazakhstani legislation.
(NOTE: Some claim that the legislation could be used to hold the
owners of on-line media outlets responsible for negative or
slanderous content posted on blogs or chat rooms associated with
their sites. END NOTE.) Kaleyeva stressed the Internet plays an
important role in Kazakhstan, especially in its ability to convey
information from foreign sources. Kaleyeva said the draft law would
impose restrictions on the flow of information, especially from the
West. When asked how the law could be impjQ]Qghe course of the legislation.

PROBLEMS WITH THE OPPOSITION MEDIA


6. (SBU) Kaleyeva was candid in discussing problems with the
opposition media in Kazakhstan. She commented that more than half
of Adil Soz's time is spent assisting opposition journalists with
court cases, and that once the cases are resolved, most of the
opposition journalists will not admit to any mistakes they may have
made and will do nothing to adjust their future behavior. She

ASTANA 00000213 002 OF 002


contended that many opposition journalists lack broad vision, real
journalistic education, and professional ethics. She also noted
many of them believe the government is determined to persecute them.
Often, she said, they do not understand their behavior could harm
their own interests and that they "lack the good judgment" to avoid
potential sensitivities.


7. (SBU) Given her reservations, Kaleyeva suggested that instead
of focusing time and financial resources on promoting the opposition
media, the international community should focus on training and
supporting the majority of journalists in Kazakhstan, who happen to
work for pro-government media outlets. Many of these journalists
are quite talented, she maintained. In particular, Kaleyeva said
one of the most effective means of assisting journalists in
Kazakhstan would be the donation of journalism textbooks in Russian
and Kazakh. Kaleyeva said she would also like to push for the
establishment of trade unions for journalists that will protect
their common labor rights.

EDITOR OF ALMA-ATA INFO, VICTIM OR CRIMINAL?


8. (SBU) In closing, the Ambassador asked Kaleyeva for her
evaluation of the case of Ramazan Yesergepov, the "Alma-Ata Info"
Editor-in-Chief charged with the dissemination of state secrets, who
remains in the custody of the Committee for National Security (KNB).
Kaleyeva said there is no doubt that Yesergepov largely brought the
situation on himself. She stressed, however, that the KNB "has also
gone overboard." She explained that Kazakhstani legislation imposes
on a journalist the duty and responsibility to protect his sources,
although she admitted that the law does not afford special
protection for journalists who do so. In her opinion, Yesergepov
had the misfortune to be caught up in the KNB's battle with a local
criminal king-pin in Taraz. Nevertheless, she believes that his
arrest was a "warning" to other journalists. Kaleyeva said
Yesergepov's situation highlights the methods and power of the KNB
in Kazakhstan.


9. (SBU) COMMENT: We tend to agree with Kaleyeva that media
assistance in Kazakhstan should focus on raising professionalism and
ethical standards of all journalists, even if they are associated
with the government -- as most are. We were especially struck by
her observation that too many self-described opposition journalists
see their role in life, more or less, as hurlers of verbal Molotov
cocktails. END COMMENT.

HOAGLAND