Journalists in Almaty and Astana Claim Pressure

This week, several journalists from national media outlets in Almaty and Astana reported being flooded with phone calls, disrupting their work, Orda.kz reports, citing the Freedom of Speech Defense Foundation "Adil Soz."

The foundation described the calls as so persistent that journalists received calls every five minutes, including at night, making it impossible to work.

Many see this as deliberate.

Fake Listings 

The journalists' phone numbers were posted in fake advertisements on the OLX.kz platform.

Daniyar Moldabekov shared that he was first contacted about selling a puppy and then mistakenly asked to provide taxi services.

Journalist Nazira Darimbet experienced a similar issue.

I coincidentally found out that my colleagues are facing the same issue — calls from OLX. Since last night, I have been bombarded with calls and WhatsApp messages from people asking about cheap iPhones I supposedly sell. I found the ad, submitted a complaint, but it's still up,Darimbet wrote on social media. 

Other affected journalists include Prodengi.kz editor Irina Ledovskikh and Forbes.kz journalist Tatyana Panchenko, who also received calls regarding false accusations.

Platform’s Response

The OLX.kz support team responded to complaints by removing the ads, but new ones quickly appeared.

The "Adil Soz" foundation believes these actions could be classified as obstruction of journalists' legitimate professional activities, which is considered a criminal offense under Kazakhstan's law.

Original Author: Natalia Ovchinnikova