Ayzhan Utevova

Affiliated media: inbusiness.kz , Journalist

Incident date: December 11, 2023

Attack type:

• Illegal impediments to journalistic activity, denial of access to information

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Adil Soz

Location: Kazakhstan, Kostanay Province, Kostanay

Additional information:

The correspondents of the Kostanay-based media outlets claim that the police prevented them from covering the gas explosion in the Amangeldy housing estate in Kostanay. According to inbusiness.kz correspondent Ayzhan Utevova, a policeman standing in the cordon constantly covered the lens of their cameraman’s camera with his hand, the police prevented them from filming the aftermath of the explosion even from a distance, and did not respond to requests to introduce themselves. The journalists learned about the fact that a press centre had been set up at the site of the tragedy post factum — the deputy head of the Public Development Department said this in a general WhatsApp chat in response to the journalists’ outrage.