20.06.2006, 11:52 2593

OSCE urges Kazakhstan to withdraw media law amendments

OSCE urges Kazakhstan to withdraw media law amendments

Astana. June 20. Kazakhstan Today - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti asked the Kazakh authorities to withdraw from parliament the governmental bill "On amendments and additions in some acts concerning mass media", he argues would represent a setback for media freedom in Kazakhstan, OSCE press release states.

The proposed amendments contain several restrictive elements, such as high administrative fines and registration fees for media outlets, and mandatory re-registration in case of any minor changes in business data, M. Haraszti noted in his plea.

Kazakhstan authority explains the necessity to accept amendments by reduction the number of registered media outlets, which will provide public's trust to it. "However, it is against international democratic standards for the Government to define which press outlets are trusted by the public, or to decide on the right number of outlets," M. Haraszti said.

In the appeal, sent to the Minister of Culture and Information, Mr. Ermukhamet Ertysbayev, Haraszti said he was particularly disappointed that the amendments would ban editors whose media outlets had previously been closed by the courts from opening a new outlet in the future.

"Kazakhstan has the chance to demonstrate its commitment to become the leading media reformer in the region. It would be regrettable if this opportunity were missed with the hasty adoption of these amendments," M. Haraszti added.

OSCE representative called the Minister of Culture and Information Yermukhamet Yertysbayev to withdraw the bill. "Withdrawing the amendments would also pave the way for closer co-operation with the OSCE," he noted.

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