OSCE supports seminar on enhancing journalist awareness on newly adopted amendments to media legislation in Kazakhstan

An OSCE-supported two-day seminar on enhancing media awareness on newly adopted amendments to media legislation concluded on 27 April 2018 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The event was led by national media lawyers and representatives of the Kazakhstan Information and Communication Ministry. It aimed to enhance media professionals’ knowledge of the media legislation in Kazakhstan and facilitate its effective implementation in their daily activities.

Some 25 journalists from Almaty and the neighbouring cities addressed topics such as access to information, intellectual property and privacy concerns, work with restricted and confidential information, regulation of online media outlets and new legislative provisions in the media sphere. Through practical exercises, participants learned how to professionally interact with state authorities and other stakeholders with regards to obtaining information, as well as how to avoid legal risks in their profession by analyzing relevant judicial precedents.

A follow-up seminar will also take place in Aktobe on 15 May.

The event was organized in the context of the amendments to media laws adopted in 2017, which introduced specific rules and restrictions on the work of media outlets and the regulation of comments in online forums.

The event, organized in co-operation with International Foundation for the Protection of Freedom of Speech Adil Soz, is part of the Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to assist the host country in promoting media freedom and freedom of expression.