Bagdat Asylbek

Affiliated media: Range, Journalist

Incident date: June 23, 2018

Attack type:

• Short-term detention

Source: Adil Soz

Location: Kazakhstan, Aktobe Province, Aktobe

Additional information:

Bagdat Asylbek, a journalist of the "Range" newspaper, was detained and taken to the Ilek police department in Aktobe, near the city's mayor's office. "A few people in uniform ran up to me. None of them introduced themselves and they explained nothing. I was grabbed by the hands and led to the bus. I showed my service ID, but it was snatched from my hands. On the bus, I was surrounded by staff who forbade me to take my phone out of my pocket to answer calls. I was taken to the Ilek police station, that was at about 3:40 pm. At the checkpoint, the police department demanded that I hand over my phone, voice recorder, camera and bag. Photos of a woman being detained were deleted from the phone. In the offices of the police department different officers, taking turns, asked the same question: "What did you do near the city mayor's office?" I kept saying that I am a journalist and have nothing to do with any demonstrations. As a journalist, I have the right to take pictures in public places, which includes Akhtanov Street. The officers demanded that I write an explanatory note and confirm that I am a journalist. After about 2 hours I was released, during this time I did not see the prosecutor on duty, - said Bagdat Asylbek.