INTERNEWS KAZAKHSTAN
Jerry Huffrnan, Internews-Central Asian News Advisor Almaty, Kazakhstan
Office: +7 3272 61-17-58
Fax: +7 3272 61-13-90
E-mail: huffman@internews.ru
Homepage http://www.internews.kz

STATEMENT FROM JERRY HUFFMAN,

INTERNEWS-CENTRAL ASIAN NEWS ADVISOR

on the Status or Media Freedom in Kazakhstan

to the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Hearing on Kazakhstan

May 6, 1999

I am the Central Asian News Advisor for Internews ant I have worked in Kazakhstan for one year. Internews is an NGO largely funded by the United States Agency for International Development. Our mission is to support independent television stations in more than a dozen countries around the world including Kazakhstan From our headquarters in Almaty we have worked with the Kazakh media since 1992 and have trained hundreds of station personnel in everything from technical issues, to business practices, and news production.

President Nazarbaev recently gave an interview to Radio Liberty where he bragged of the RL's ability to openly criticize himself or any aspect of his government

In reality, there is very little the President could do if the station criticized him -- but any journalist in Kazakhstan taking the same risk faces almost certain harassment and loss of their livelihood. Any station running a story critical of the president can count on having their taxes audited, receiving threatening visits from the security forces, or closure for any one of a number of trumped-up reasons.

The reality is the Nazarbaev ministration has done everything within its power to muzzle the independent media in Kazakhstan.

The recent presidential election provides a clear example:

There were three rules the media had to follow to be allowed to operate during the

campaign:

Intenews received several reports of station managers being called into local governmental offices and threatened with closure if any of the rules were violated

Security forces routinely called television stations and demanded rundowns of the previous day's news coverage Internews also had several reports of security forces dictating "ideas" for news coverage to the stations.

Any station that broke the rules could be closed under Kazakhstan's language law. It dictates that 50% of all programming broadcast must be in the native Kazakh language. That level is virtually impossible to achieve. In fact, our own survey of Kazakhstani broadcasters stations show none of the stations can maintain the 50150 balance including the governments own radio and television stations.

Another law subjects journalist to prison terms if the President is "insulted". The truly chilling part of the law, other than its absurdity, is that there is no clear definition of what it means to "insult" the President, nor is does the law contain an exemption for truth. The vagueness of the statute is clearly meant to intimidate. And the result of a court finding the President was insulted is criminal penalties, not civil penalties (as in the West).

The unwritten threat is crystal clear. If you follow the government's orders you will be allowed to stay on the air Buck the system and your station can be closed on a whim

The Kazakhstani government has undoubtedly failed to inform you of the Nazarbaev family's attempts not only to muzzle the independent media ... but to purchase the most successful stations in the country.

Our information shows that Nazarbaev family members either own or control the largest television and radio stations, newspapers, and advertising outlets in the nation. That power means balanced, critical coverage of the administration is virtually nonexistent

It must also be noted that stations controlled by the Nazarbaevs have not been required to pay the exorbitant licensing fees extracted from other independent stations. The fact alone has saved the Nazarbaevs several million dollars — money that by Kazakhstani law was meant for the federal coffers.

The Kazakhstani media is fighting to find its proper place in society. There are stations succeeding in spite of the overwhelming obstacles the government puts in their path There are stations succeeding in spite of a poor economy. There are journalists who risk their careers by pushing the envelope of what is considered acceptable reporting

In the short term there are many steps the Commission on Security and Cooperation specifically, and the U.S. Congress in general could take that would help the Kazakhstani media:
  1. Increase funding of Internews. Often the moral support we provide to a station is as important as the technical training. Without Internews, we fear many stations would simply buckle under the sometimes- government pressure.

The independent media is fighting for survival in Kazakhstan. It faces nearly overwhelming odds on an economic level. The pressure brought to bear by the government is stifling and threatening.

I am appalled at the public relations war the Nazarbaev administration is waging to convince U.S. public opinion that it supports a free media. It does not --- and stations the administration cannot buy or control it is now attempting to legislate or harass into oblivion.

There is a war going on in Kazakhstan and it is centered on news and information.

I urge the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe to give us the political support and financial weapons the independent media in Kazakhstan need to keep fighting.