June 22, 2017

22/06/2017: KAZAKHSTAN – SEEMO URGES AUTHORITIES IN KAZAKHSTAN TO CEASE RETALIATION AGAINST CIVIL SOCIETY

Vienna, 22/06/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed deep criticism after it was revealed that an appellate court in the city of Almaty issued a large financial fine against the International Legal Initiative, a well known legal society organization facing pressures in the country.

In 2016, the government began targeting several prominent human rights NGOs based in Almaty after they had been engaged during the trials of local political and human rights activists. The pressure experienced by the organizations included snap tax inspections, which forced the organizations to pay fines of several thousand dollars.

This most recent fine against an NGO came on 21 June and generated a strong outcry from the international community.

SEEMO members condemn the treatment of activists and civil society groups in Kazakhstan, and call on institutions in the country to cease their baseless legislative pursuit against them.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe.