Searches Conducted in Apartment of Person Behind Satirical QazNews24

Journalist Temirlan Yensebek has been taken into custody at the Almaty police department, reports Orda.kz.

Fifteen law enforcement officers reportedly conducted a search at his residence before detaining him. His lawyer has accompanied him to the station.

The detention reportedly falls under Article 174 of Kazakhstan's Criminal Code, which addresses the incitement of social, national, tribal, racial, class, or religious discord.

We contacted the city police press service for comment.

The Almaty police press service later commented on the detention.

A case has been opened against the journalist for inciting ethnic discord through publications on social networks.

The author of one of the publics (social media page - Ed.) has been detained and placed in temporary detention facility on suspicion of committing a criminal offense, the PD said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Journalist Asem Zhapishyeva links the arrest to a post about Russian TV presenter Tina Kandelaki.

They are talking about the post about Tina Kandelaki on April 17, she wrote on her Telegram channel.

Searches were also conducted in Yensebek's apartment in May 2021. 

At that time, law enforcement confiscated two phones and a laptop from him, and the Almaty PD press service of the Almaty PD called Temirlan "the author of fake news" in a press release.

The police had opened a case under the article "Dissemination of Knowingly False Information." Yensenbek was given the status of a witness with the right to defense.

Reporters Without Borders later expressed support, urging authorities to “respect freedom of speech.”

In September 2022, the case was closed due to a “lack of evidence of a crime.”

Lawyer Zhanara Balgabayeva said that political and linguistic examinations ordered by the investigation revealed that humorous content could not be considered fake news.

The Orda.kz editorial team will continue to monitor developments.

Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova

The article has been updated as of 18/01/25 at 13:41 to reflect current developments.