Kazakhstan's parliament imposes strict media rules, sparking journalists' protest

When the Kurultai convened in August, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pledged a modernised, dialogue-driven parliament, yet the body quickly introduced rules that confine journalists to a press centre and restrict questions to agenda items. Deputy Chief of Staff Bolat Kalyanbekov justified the policy as a way to explain draft legislation without off-topic distractions, citing compliance with Kazakh law and global practice.

Media watchdogs, including CPJ’s Fiona O’Brien, argue the measures mirror authoritarian control rather than democratic openness. In response, roughly 40 journalists accredited to the Kurultai, among them Otkir Kurek founder Nazymgul Kumyspayeva, submitted an appeal to chair Aibek Dadebay demanding rule revisions, noting that a moderator’s warning can trigger a six-month accreditation loss. The appeal references a recent incident where journalist Asem Gumarova received a warning for linking a cybercrime briefing to a tragic Caspian Sea accident.

Kumyspayeva also contested a separate accreditation denial, claiming it was a pretext to silence one outlet's reporting, and has threatened legal action. The dispute highlights broader pressures on Kazakhstan’s press, which Freedom House rates as “Not Free.”