Ramazan Yesergepov
Encyclopedia
Ramazan Yesergepov is a jailed Kazakhstan
i journalist, whose arrest led to international concerns about the freedom of the media in Kazakhstan. Prior to his arrest he was the editor of Alma-Ata Info.
206,000 (roughly US$1600). Yesergepov believed the real reason for the charges was retaliation for articles criticising the authorities.
In November 2008, Yesergepov published a piece entitled "Who Rules the Country: President or National Security Committee?", featuring private correspondence from the chief of the Jambyl Regional Department of the National Security Committee. The NSC then listed the document as classified information, and ordered Yesergepov to reveal his sources. Around the same time, Yesergepov suffered an infarction
and went to obtain medical care; due to his hospitalisation, he did not attend an interrogation as ordered, even after his release from hospital.
rejected an appeal to investigate the legality of the decision. Yesergepov's case returned to the Taraz court, which upheld the original sentence in October 2009.
Yesergepov was imprisoned at Taraz Standard Regime Penal Colony #158/2. He applied for parole in January 2010; when that request was denied, he requested transfer to a lesser-security colony-settlement instead, which was also refused. On 30 June 2010, he announced his intention to go on hunger strike
. His hunger strike lasted until 11 July. Two days later, his next request for parole was also denied. At the end of that month, his wife delivered an appeal from her husband to Viktoriya Tiuneleva of the NGO Kazakhstani Bureau for Human Rights, to be forwarded to the United Nations Human Rights Council
. In September 2010, another application of Yesergepov's for transfer to a colony-settlement was denied.
, which called his arrest an attempt to intimidate journalists. Local newspaper Adil Soz stated that Yesergepov did not receive a public trial
, violating Criminal Procedural Code Article 17. A number of international organisations also condemned the matter. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to which Kazakhstan had submitted a bid for chairmanship, stated that Yesergepov's imprisonment "violated international standards and Kazakhstan's commitments on media freedom", and sent a letter of protest to the Kazakhstani government. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists
accused Kazakhstan's government of undermining the OSCE through human rights violation at home; Ministry of Foreign Affairs
spokesman Ilyas Omarov stated in response that no OSCE member state had complained to his ministry over the matter, and that Kazakhstan had a "healthy media environment" run primarily by private companies rather than state bodies. Human Rights Watch
also pointed to the case as an example of Kazakhstan's "chilling environment for freedom of expression.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
i journalist, whose arrest led to international concerns about the freedom of the media in Kazakhstan. Prior to his arrest he was the editor of Alma-Ata Info.
Career
Yesergepov founded Alma-Ata Info in 2005. In 2006, the newspaper was charged under Administrative Code Article 342 for alleged violations of the law on mass media; namely, the Almaty City Council claimed that the newspaper had changed its thematic focus but failed to register the change with the government. The newspaper faced a maximum fine of TKazakhstani tenge
The tenge is the currency of Kazakhstan. It is divided into 100 tïın . It was introduced on 15th of November 1993 to replace the Soviet ruble at a rate of 1 tenge = 500 rubles...
206,000 (roughly US$1600). Yesergepov believed the real reason for the charges was retaliation for articles criticising the authorities.
In November 2008, Yesergepov published a piece entitled "Who Rules the Country: President or National Security Committee?", featuring private correspondence from the chief of the Jambyl Regional Department of the National Security Committee. The NSC then listed the document as classified information, and ordered Yesergepov to reveal his sources. Around the same time, Yesergepov suffered an infarction
Infarction
In medicine, infarction refers to tissue death that is caused by a local lack of oxygen due to obstruction of the tissue's blood supply. The resulting lesion is referred to as an infarct.-Causes:...
and went to obtain medical care; due to his hospitalisation, he did not attend an interrogation as ordered, even after his release from hospital.
Arrest and imprisonment
On 6 January 2009, officers of the NSC's Jambyl department detained Yesergepov on charges of "unlawful compilation and proliferation of information containing state secrets" and "abuse of position". The initial charges were brought under Penal Code Article 172 Part 2, carrying a maximum sentence of three years. However, the Taraz District Court #2 then decided to charge Yesergepov under Part 4 of the same article instead, meaning that he could face up to eight years in prison. In August 2009 he was sentenced to three years in prison; the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan
The Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the highest of three levels of courts of Kazakhstan, sitting above regional appeals courts, and city or district courts...
rejected an appeal to investigate the legality of the decision. Yesergepov's case returned to the Taraz court, which upheld the original sentence in October 2009.
Yesergepov was imprisoned at Taraz Standard Regime Penal Colony #158/2. He applied for parole in January 2010; when that request was denied, he requested transfer to a lesser-security colony-settlement instead, which was also refused. On 30 June 2010, he announced his intention to go on hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
. His hunger strike lasted until 11 July. Two days later, his next request for parole was also denied. At the end of that month, his wife delivered an appeal from her husband to Viktoriya Tiuneleva of the NGO Kazakhstani Bureau for Human Rights, to be forwarded to the United Nations Human Rights Council
United Nations Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations System. The UNHRC is the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights , and is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly...
. In September 2010, another application of Yesergepov's for transfer to a colony-settlement was denied.
Response to imprisonment
The case against Yesergepov led to condemnation by Kazakhstani opposition party AzatAzat party
Azat is a political party in Kazakhstan that is led by Chairman Toleubek Karamendin. It was one of the most active of the political movements during the struggle for Kazakhstan's independence...
, which called his arrest an attempt to intimidate journalists. Local newspaper Adil Soz stated that Yesergepov did not receive a public trial
Public trial
Public trial or open trial is a trial open to public, as opposed to the secret trial. The term should not be confused with show trial.-United States:...
, violating Criminal Procedural Code Article 17. A number of international organisations also condemned the matter. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to which Kazakhstan had submitted a bid for chairmanship, stated that Yesergepov's imprisonment "violated international standards and Kazakhstan's commitments on media freedom", and sent a letter of protest to the Kazakhstani government. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
accused Kazakhstan's government of undermining the OSCE through human rights violation at home; Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kazakhstan)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Kazakh government ministry which oversees the foreign relations of Kazakhstan....
spokesman Ilyas Omarov stated in response that no OSCE member state had complained to his ministry over the matter, and that Kazakhstan had a "healthy media environment" run primarily by private companies rather than state bodies. Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
also pointed to the case as an example of Kazakhstan's "chilling environment for freedom of expression.