Fast Facts Language: Kazakh, Russian Established: 1953 Distribution: Radio (AM, UKV, SW, satellite), Internet Coverage: Two hours daily Locations: Prague, Almaty Staff: 9 in Prague, 14 in Almaty, 32 stringers

Media Environment

• Freedom House Freedom of the Press Index, 2012: Not Free (175th/197)
• Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, 2012: 154th/179
• Privately-held and opposition media are often subjected to harassment and censorship. Criticizing the president is a criminal offense and is used as a pretext to silence journalists. Self-censorship is widespread.
• In February-March 2011, Radio Azattyq’s website was blocked for 12 days at the start of the presidential campaign. In 2008, the website was blocked for seven weeks before access was restored.

Highlights

• In January 2012, Radio Azattyq broke the story of violent unrest in the western Kazakh oil town of Zhanaozen. International media such as BBC, Reuters, “The New York Times” and ”The Telegraph” cited Radio Azattyq’s reporting. Its investigations into alleged abuse, torture in police detention centers, missing people and the police hunt for citizen journalists prompted the Kazakh Prosecutor General to open criminal proceedings over police actions in Zhanaozen.
• In December 2011, Radio Azattyq correspondent Svetlana Glushkova won 2nd prize in the "Human Rights in Kazakhstan: Story without Words" competition organized by the Soros-Kazakhstan Foundation.
• In March 2011, Radio Azattyq launched its “Mirror on the Presidential Elections,” an interactive website that allowed ordinary people to participate actively in monitoring the voting process. In a country that has not experienced a free election, and with local media controlled by the incumbent, the project represented a crucial advance for the Kazakh public.
• The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) recognized two Azattyq journalists in December 2010 for their "outstanding coverage of human rights issues in Central Asia."

updated: 15 May 2012

Population
16.6 million (World Bank estimate, 2008)

Most Common Languages:
Russian, Kazakh, Ukranian, Uyghur, German

Press Freedom Index (Freedom House):
Not Free, ranked 142 out of 196 (2010)

Press Freedom Index (RSF):
162 out of 179 (2011)

Corruption Index (Transparency Int.):
120 out of 183 (2011)

Global Peace Index (IES):
105 out of 158 (2012)

Human Rights Watch:
Report on Kazakhstan (2012)

Amnesty International:
Kazakhstan Report (2012)