Kazakhstan Must Ensure Fair Appeal for Journalist Daniyar Adilbekov

November 28, 2024 – Kazakhstan –

Investigative journalist Daniyar Adilbekov was handed a harsh 4½‑year prison sentence on October 18, 2024, by the Astana interdistrict court, convicted under criminal charges of “knowingly false denunciation” and “disseminating false information” through his Telegram channel “Wild Horde”. The charges stemmed from his October 2023 posts alleging corruption involving high‑ranking officials—Vice Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov, Astana Airport board chairman Yusuf Aljawder, and journalist Gulzhan Yergaliyeva.

Adilbekov was arrested in late March 2024 and remained in custody throughout the trial. His appeal is scheduled in Astana, where rights groups stress that he must receive a fair hearing; otherwise, Kazakhstan risks violating basic international judicial standards.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) decried the imprisonment as disproportionate for reputational harm and incompatible with Kazakhstan’s obligations under international law. HRW recommended both his immediate release and a sweeping revision of the country’s speech‑related laws—eliminating criminal penalties where speech causes only reputational damage, and reserving criminal sanctions for real threats to public order or national security.

Legal experts from the Legal Media Center labeled Adilbekov’s conviction “unprecedented” in Kazakh journalism and warned it could chill critical reporting and anti‑corruption efforts. ARTICLE 19 also condemned the sentence, calling for the repeal of the “false information” law and demanding Adilbekov’s release, noting that criminalizing disinformation violates free expression norms.

Despite a 2020 decriminalization of defamation, Kazakhstan continues to impose criminal sentences for falsified content in mass media, reflecting a shift toward administrative repression coupled with severe penalties. The case reflects a growing trend: journalists and bloggers are increasingly prosecuted under vague speech‑related provisions, prompting HRW to urge international pressure to align Kazakhstan’s legislation with global standards.

In sum, Adilbekov’s case is a landmark test for Kazakhstan’s commitment to judicial fairness and media independence. Authorities face mounting pressure—to ensure a just appeal, to reform the law, and to protect investigative journalism. The ripple effect of this case could determine whether Kazakhstan respects or represses freedom of expression going forward.

Reference – 

https://en.orda.kz/ensure-fair-appeal-for-daniyar-adilbekov-human-rights-watch-4001/

https://www.jurist.org/news/2024/11/kazakhstan-urged-to-ensure-fair-process-for-journalist-and-revise-its-speech-offenses-laws/

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/11/28/kazakhstan-ensure-journalist-gets-fair-appeal