Lawyers Comment on Situation Surrounding Orda and Bazhkenova

Following the opening of a corporate raiding case, police have begun pursuing Orda.kz editor-in-chief Gulnara Bazhkenova, placing her under house arrest — a move her lawyers describe as pressure, Orda.kz reports.

Attorney Murat Adam says he is filing complaints over police actions, which he believes are intended to prevent Bazhkenova from defending her ownership stake in the corporate takeover case.

We've been trying for a long time to get a criminal case opened for corporate raiding involving editor-in-chief Gulnar Bazhkenova's 70% stake in Orda.kz. Finally, on November 28th, the case was opened. On December 1st, at 10:00 a.m., the first investigative action with our participation was scheduled at the Department of Economic Development and Trade in Almaty. However, the police have launched an investigation against Gulnar Bazhkenova, conducting searches of the editorial office and apartment. In doing so, the police have obstructed my legitimate legal activities,
 Adam said.

After all, the journalist is restricted from traveling abroad, thanks to the measures taken by M. Ganiyev. Furthermore, the events reported in the media (the dissemination of 'deliberately false information') 'took place' in 2024. (I'm not confirming anything. That's what the media are reporting.)... Apparently, the criminal case is subject to dismissal under the amnesty right now. So why place her under house arrest? The answer is obvious. Under this pretext, she was most likely banned from writing, calling, going on air... Basically, doing her job... And will you, dear investigators and the court, feed her and her family, take the child to school? All this news makes me feel uneasy... I feel uneasy in my own country...
 Aitkaliyeva wrote on Facebook.

Background

The day before, security forces detained several Orda.kz employees, including editor-in-chief Dmitry Kim, two journalists, and an accountant.

A safe containing employee payroll funds was broken into, and equipment, documents, and phones were seized. Bazhkenova’s office closet was also forced open and its contents taken. The Almaty newsroom still has not had its devices returned.

Orda.kz has repeatedly reported pressure on its staff — including threats, surveillance, leaks, cyberattacks, and attempts at a hostile takeover. The goal, the editorial board says, is to remove management and seize control of the outlet.

On October 21, the newsroom received a registered letter from Maksat Ganiyev.

Inside was notice that at an extraordinary constituent meeting scheduled for December, Ganiyev, a proxy for businessman Vyacheslav Kim, intended to remove Bazhkenova from Orda’s management and replace her. 

Original Author: Zarina Fayzulina