Affiliated media: Sports.kz , Online media

Incident date: July 28, 2021

Attack type:

• repayment of compensation and legal costs following civil lawsuits

Who attacked: Non-authorities

Source: Sports.kz

Location: Kazakhstan, Karaganda Region, Karaganda

Additional information:

Sports news agency Sports.kz acted as a defendant in a lawsuit for the protection of honour, dignity, and business reputation and compensation for moral damage in the amount of KZT 2 million (over USD 4,600) by David Loria, executive director of the football club Astana. The plaintiff’s claims relate to a number of publications on the news agency’s website, the motive and purpose of which, according to Loria, is the formation of his negative image «as an immoral, antisocial person and insolvent manager». Among the lawsuit claims is to oblige the editorial office to apologise publicly, to remove the controversial publications from the website, and to pay the amount of moral damage caused. The court satisfied the claim in terms of publishing a refutation and removing the disputed articles. The amount of compensation for moral damage awarded was KZT 400,000 (approximately USD 940). The decision is being challenged in a higher court.