Editors from two opposition newspapers in Kazakhstan that were recently shut down say authorities are closing periodicals because they "fear the truth."
The editors of "Assandi-Times" and "Pravdivaya Gazeta" told reporters in Almaty on April 24 that the court decisions to shutter their newspapers were politically motivated.
A court closed "Assandi-Times" on April 2, saying it is part of the banned Respublika newspaper company, while "Pravdivaya Gazeta" (The Truthful Newspaper) was closed in February for providing readers with false information about the exact number of its weekly copies, for operating during a court-ruled suspension period, and for its failure to adequately address the violations.
The editors accuse authorities in Kazakhstan of intensifying their efforts against independent media in recent months.
Both periodicals are known for their independence from the authorities and their criticism of the Kazakh government.
The editors of "Assandi-Times" and "Pravdivaya Gazeta" told reporters in Almaty on April 24 that the court decisions to shutter their newspapers were politically motivated.
A court closed "Assandi-Times" on April 2, saying it is part of the banned Respublika newspaper company, while "Pravdivaya Gazeta" (The Truthful Newspaper) was closed in February for providing readers with false information about the exact number of its weekly copies, for operating during a court-ruled suspension period, and for its failure to adequately address the violations.
The editors accuse authorities in Kazakhstan of intensifying their efforts against independent media in recent months.
Both periodicals are known for their independence from the authorities and their criticism of the Kazakh government.
