Askhat Niyazov

Affiliated media: YouTube channel Obozhayu, Journalist

Incident date: June 5, 2023

Attack type:

• Bullying, intimidation, pressure, threats of violence and death, including cyber-

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Holanews

Location: Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan Province, Ridder

Additional information:

Journalist Askhat Niyazov, the author of the YouTube project Obozhayu, has been subjected to a provocation. The incident occurred on the day of the journalist’s meeting with the Akim of the East Kazakhstan region Danial Akhmetov, which Niyazov had been seeking for almost six months. The footage shows two women who, interrupting each other, reprimand Niyazov for making programmes about akims, asking questions of citizens, and raising problems. «You don’t show our city, let’s ban you from coming here at all, you have no right», — the women said, interrupting each other and using swear language. The women filmed the whole action on their mobile phones. Niyazov regarded the provocation as an attempt to put pressure on him. The journalist’s colleagues found out that one of the subordinates of the head of the region, the chairman of the regional maslikhat, was in contact with the two women and the regional akim.