FEEL FREE TO DO AS YOU'RE TOLD -- One of the world's most notorious enemies of a free press has warned his country's media not to try to influence public opinion. Kazakhstan's thin skinned dictator, Nursultan Nazarbayev, lectured the media to report objectively and responsibly and said they were free to cover both sides of issues as long as their reports were free of analysis, according to Khabar.Kazakhstan, and the Internet newspaper Gazeta.Kazakhstan. In reality, however, even factual reporting has landed journalists in prison; the most notorious case is imprisoned human rights advocate Sergei Duvanov, who had printed what the foreign media were reporting about the Kazakhgate corruption scandal implicating Nazarbayev and his inner circle. It was another one of the periodic lectures by a ruler who has jailed journalists when he felt they insulted him, and who has been condemned by numerous international governments, human rights organizations and journalism groups for his heavy handed persecution of the Kazakh opposition and independent media. This time he said the media's role is to preserve harmony among the country's ethnic groups and mobilize the populace to carry out the leadership's policies. http://www.khabar.Kazakhstan/news_eng/, http://www.gazeta.Kazakhstan/eng/

ELECTION WATCHDOGS -- In light of Kazakhstan's record for election abuse, the OSCE has offered to send two election consultants to observe next month's local-council elections. OSCE has "sharply criticized previous presidential and parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan," reports RFE/RL. No response yet from the Kazakh Central Election Commission (CEC) on whether they'll be allowed in. http://www.rferl.org/bd/ka/

NEW MEDIA LAW = LESS NEWS -- The Nazarbayev regime's new draft media law will further restrict freedom of speech, charges Roslana Taukina, president of the Journalists in Need Foundation of Kazakhstan, according to Deutsche Welle. As evidence she cites the fact that the government refuses to publish the draft as promised. Although some media representatives were consulted in the drafting process, she said the government rejected all suggestions not conforming to its views. All revisions in media laws over the past decade have resulted in fewer media outlets, greater intimidation of journalists and poorer reporting of domestic political events, she added. http://www.rferl.org/bd/ka/, http://www.dw-world.de/english

BEG OR ELSE -- Imprisoned journalist Sergei Duvanov is under growing government pressure to request an official pardon, reports Yevgenii Zhovtis, the head of Kazakhstan's International Bureau for Human Rights, reports Interfax-Kazakhstan. The Nazarbayev regime has been the target of extensive international condemnation for its prosecution of Duvanov, an independent investigative reporter and human rights activist who reported on high level corruption in his country. After several incidents of harassment, threats and severe physical beatings he was arrested on juvenile rape charges and sentenced to three and a half years in prison. The charges are widely considered to be politically motivated and unfounded, and the government may be looking for a face saving escape. Duvanov has refused to request a pardon, insisting he is innocent. Zhovtis said he based his accusation on the recent imposition of restrictions on the two prisoners, including denial of visits, that appear to be intended as political pressure, RFE/RL reported. http://www.interfax-news.com/ http://www.rferl.org/bd/ka/

For the full stories, see the web citations above or contact us at News@Kazakhstan21.org or see VOD Archives [http://iicas.org/english/enlibrary/libr_16_03_01kp.htm]. The Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation promotes democracy and human rights in Kazakhstan through public affairs and educational programs in the United States and Europe. This material is distributed by Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation.

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