Court Places Orda Editor-in-Chief Gulnar Bazhkenova Under House Arrest

A court has placed Gulnar Bazhkenova under house arrest for two months, lawyer Murat Adam told Orda.kz on the evening of December 1.

Earlier in the day, searches were carried out at Orda’s editorial offices in Almaty and Astana, as well as at the editor-in-chief’s home. Law enforcement officers barred the publication’s lawyers from entering the premises.

By the afternoon, police had taken in the editor-in-chief, the head of the Almaty bureau, the news editor, and the accountant for questioning. Employees’ phones were confiscated. A safe in the Almaty office was broken into, and money intended for staff salaries was seized.

Authorities stated that criminal cases have been opened for disseminating false information.

Following the events, the International Foundation for the Protection of Freedom of Speech Adil Soz released a public statement expressing concern.

Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova