In Astana on 19 August, the performance of stand-up comedian Galym Kaliakbarov at the venue Carlin was interrupted. The city administration (akimat) stated that the organisers had not notified the authorities about the holding of the cultural mass event at least 10 days in advance, as required by the established procedure.
WHY THE CONCERT WAS INTERRUPTED
According to the akimat of the Yesil district, representatives of the akimat arrived at Carlin to explain to the organisers the requirements of the legislation and security measures. According to the department's version, staff were not allowed inside, after which the organisers were taken to the police department of the Yesil district for a conversation and a warning about the risks of holding unsanctioned mass events. They were later released.
During the performance itself, according to eyewitness accounts, a man entered the hall and stated that the event was being held illegally. When Kaliakbarov asked for the specific reason, an explanation was given about a breach of requirements. Later, a police officer stated that the complaint was also related to allegedly obscene language used from the stage. According to eyewitnesses, no evidence of this was presented on the spot.
WHAT THE AKIMAT REPORTED
The official explanation from the akimat is primarily related to the lack of prior notification. The department stated that the organisers should have notified them about the event no later than 10 calendar days in advance.
STANDUP ASTANA LLP was also brought to administrative responsibility under Part 1 of Article 488-1 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan for violating the procedure for organising sporting and sports-mass, entertainment and cultural-mass events.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CONCERT
After Kaliakbarov's performance, a concert by Nurlan Saburov was due to take place at Carlin. According to Syrmedia.kz, this performance did not go ahead.
Representatives of the Carlin venue have not yet commented on the incident. Thus, the official reason given for the akimat's intervention was a breach of the notification procedure for the cultural mass event, whereas the version about obscene language mentioned during the interruption of the concert has not been separately confirmed.
WHAT THE LAWYER SAYS
Lawyer Amangeldy Ospanov told the Telegram channel «HALYQSTAN» that the legislation provides for an obligation to inform the local executive body in advance about entertainment and cultural mass events if 200 or more spectators are present at the same time.
In his view, the absence of notification and the termination of an already-started event are separate legal matters. In the first case, it concerns a possible breach of the notification procedure, while in the second, a specific legal ground provided for by law must be established for stopping the performance.
The expert also separately draws attention to the organisers being taken to the police. The Administrative Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan provides for taking a person to the police to suppress an offence, establish identity, or draw up a report if it cannot be completed on the spot.
