Saule Kusainova

Affiliated media: Time, Journalist

Incident date: January 29, 2018

Attack type:

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

Source: Adil Soz

Location: Kazakhstan, Akmola Province, Kokshetau

Additional information:

Freelancer Saule Kusainova asked about an accident involving the official car of the head of KSU "Regional Communications Service" (RCS) Abai Bekbayev, which occurred on 18th December 2017. According to the journalist, she received a phone call in the evening from the from the head of the RCS, A. Bekbayev, and asked why she was misleading the public with her questions about whether he had committed an accident. Then Bekbayev sent a text message to the journalist demanding that she give him an official apology, otherwise he threatened to sue. When studying the audio recording of the briefing, it turned out that Kusainova asked the question whether "the head of the RSC had committed an accident", but then immediately corrected the question to whether "he was in an accident".