Elmedia Reports Pressure in Obukhov Case

The editorial board reported unlawful searches, harassment, and an effort to obstruct the inquiry into the Obukhov Mining and Processing Plant. Journalists, witnesses, and Viktor Dolgalev’s family were subjected to pressure, Orda.kz reports.

The editorial board of Elmedia reported facing pressure from law enforcement agencies following its coverage of the case involving Viktor Dolgalev and the Obukhov Mining and Processing Plant (GOK) in the North Kazakhstan region. 

According to project head Gulzhan Yergaliyeva, after new investigations were published, authorities began to approach witnesses, conduct searches and questionings, and caution relatives of the former director about potential legal consequences.

Elmedia asserts that the situation has gone beyond a criminal probe and constitutes a blow to free expression and independent reporting.

One such act of pressure included a search targeting Viktor Dolgalev’s wife, Darya Ivanets. She stated that on June 17, while at a café with her child, she was detained and her phone was seized without being given a copy of the ruling. 

The document, which she briefly viewed, referred to alleged coordination with the media under her husband’s directive. Nonetheless, she had no official status as either a suspect or a witness.

My child was traumatized by this. She is still afraid of men and loud noises. And the investigators were looking for flash drives, money and tried to limit any contacts with the press,
Daria said. 

Elmedia connects these developments to their recent YouTube video and a published letter from Viktor Dolgalev.

In the letter, he mentions a new case under Article 218 of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code ("Legalization of funds obtained by criminal means").

Dolgalev claims assets are being seized, mass questioning is underway, inspections are ongoing in two villages, and law enforcement “have announced a reward of up to 200 thousand dollars for information about the stolen equipment of the mining and processing plant.”

The journalists contend that this is a strategy to bury a major corruption scandal. Elmedia’s reporting has referenced the names of officials and business figures, including former Minister of Industry Kanat Sharlapaev, First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, and Prosecutor General Berik Asylov. 

 The editorial board suggests the situation may relate to a potential transfer of the Obukhovskoye site to organizations associated with the Russian Bashkir Soda Company.

We are confident that the real beneficiaries are not the investigators or the prosecutors. These are the ones who lobbied for the transfer of the mining and processing plant from the very beginning under the pretext of "investments", trying to inflate the project to one billion dollars. Although, according to Dolgalev's own calculations, its implementation could have cost 50-100 million,
says Gulzhan Ergalieva. 

Elmedia stresses that it has never accepted payments for its content and sees this as another tactic aimed at undermining the credibility of the independent newsroom.

What is happening now is not a fight against crime. It is an attempt to silence those who call things by their proper names. And the more they attack us, the more we are convinced that we are moving in the right direction,
the editorial board stated.

In January of this year, Viktor Dolgalev, former director of the Obukhov Mining and Processing Plant, was re-arrested following the reversal of his acquittal.

His son Danil, lawyer Sanat Kurmanbayev, and businessman Timur Sadvokasov were also re-detained. The North Kazakhstan Regional Court's Appellate Collegium ruled the earlier jury decision unlawful, despite allegations that jurors faced undue pressure.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov