RFE/RL Journalists Lose Accreditation Lawsuit in Kazakhstan

A court in Astana rejected on August 20 a lawsuit filed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) over Kazakhstan’s ministry of foreign affairs’ denial of permanent accreditation for its journalists.

The Astana district court upheld the ministry’s decision to refuse accreditation to several reporters at Radio Azattyk, RFE/RL’s local service. The judge’s decision cited Kazakhstan’s law on mass media, which prohibits foreign journalists from working without official accreditation.

Radio Azattyk filed the lawsuit on July 11 after seven of its journalists were denied accreditation without explanation. Since then, nine more reporters have faced rejections.

According to Azattyk’s lawyer, Liliya Chausova, the reporters had applied for extensions two months before their permits expired in April. The ministry then prolonged the review period by another two months, saying it was necessary to “establish the factual circumstances.” This left the journalists in the dark until July, when they received an outright denial on their applications by email.

Radio Azattyk is registered in Kazakhstan among foreign media organizations at the ministry of foreign affairs because its parent organization, RFE/RL, is funded by the United States Agency for Global Media, a US state-owned entity.

Asel Mamasheva, a spokesperson for the ministry, told the court that Azattyk staff had “repeatedly violated the law” by publishing articles during the extended review period. She added that the head of Azattyk’s Almaty office was also denied accreditation because he “did not ensure that his employees complied with the law.”

Chausova countered that the delays were illegal and deliberately obstructive: “All these people are employed by RFE/RL. Accordingly, they receive a salary. The lack of accreditation could not deprive them of their work.”

When asked whether the refusal was permanent, Meiram Mutashev, a press officer at the ministry, confirmed this although stating that the journalists could reapply.

The ruling has drawn criticism from international rights groups.

“Denying RFE/RL journalists the ability to report freely is a deeply concerning escalation in Kazakhstan’s efforts to stifle independent voices,” Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in July.

Media watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists also urged the authorities to reconsider the accreditation denial.

“RFE/RL’s bold reporting has an absolutely central place in Kazakhstan’s media sphere, and we await with deep concern a court verdict that could dramatically hinder its work,” said CPJ’s Gulnoza Said before the ruling.

This is not the first time Azattyk has faced accreditation issues. From 2022 to early 2024, the ministry withheld credentials from 36 of its journalists before resuming extensions following a separate lawsuit and an out of court settlement.

UPDATE: The head of Azattyk’s office in Almaty, Kassym Amanzhol, told Vlast that the publication plans to appeal the court’s decision.

With reporting by Olga Loginova.