Deputy Chair of the Kurultai Daniya Yespayeva explained the decision to restrict journalists' access to deputies in the corridors of the new Parliament. According to her, the work of the media was not restricted but regulated, with attention focused on the bills being considered by the kurultai.
WHY THE WORK OF JOURNALISTS WAS CHANGED
Journalist Botagoz Omarova asked Yespayeva about the restriction of corridor interviews at a briefing on 10 September. She linked the situation to freedom of speech and asked why journalists' access to deputies had been reduced and whether the kurultai feared tough questions.
Yespayeva stated that the Kurultai remains open. According to her, the presence of the media during plenary sessions now primarily involves covering the draft laws put before deputies for consideration.
WHAT YESPAYEVA SAID ABOUT "HYPE" TOPICS
The deputy chair of the kurultai believes that the new organisation of work should provide citizens with more information about the laws being adopted by parliament. She also stated that journalists had not been restricted but that their "work had been regulated".
"At the very least, you and I today did not discuss who wanted what shoes, who wears what bag. Do you understand? And mostly these are hype-driven things. What matters to the people is what laws are being adopted today," Yespayeva said.
According to Yespayeva, journalists retain the ability to contact deputies through the Kurultai's press service. Through it, one can ask a question of any of the 145 deputies or invite a parliamentarian for an interview.
CONTEXT
Earlier, Deputy Head of the Kurultai's apparatus Bolat Kalyánbekov reported that the Bureau of the Kurultai had changed the procedure for interaction between deputies and media representatives.
According to him, journalists will be able to ask questions of the people's representatives in the press centre, and the final rules of procedure of the Kurultai have not yet been adopted. At the same time, media representatives can no longer freely communicate with deputies in the corridors of parliament.
Media lawyers and human rights organisations expressed concern about the possible restriction of journalists' access to deputies. In their view, the new requirements must have a clear legal basis, be officially adopted and published in advance.
Later, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for the new media rules to be cancelled. The organisation spoke of restrictions on journalists' movement within the parliament building and their ability to ask questions of politicians.
