(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 15 January 2007 ARTICLE 19 press release: ARTICLE 19 rejects oppressive print licensing in Kazakhstan ARTICLE 19 today released an analysis of Kazakhstan’s draft Law ‘On Publishing’. The draft Law proposes a licensing scheme for all printing presses, something not normally seen in democracies, and it entrenches a […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 15 January 2007 ARTICLE 19 press release:
ARTICLE 19 rejects oppressive print licensing in Kazakhstan
ARTICLE 19 today released an analysis of Kazakhstan’s draft Law ‘On Publishing’.
The draft Law proposes a licensing scheme for all printing presses, something not normally seen in democracies, and it entrenches a series of vague restrictions on what may be published in Kazakhstan – such as on secrets and “statements of religious uniqueness”.
ARTICLE 19 is concerned that neither the proposed licensing scheme nor the content restrictions are in compliance with international standards. Kazakhstan has only recently ratified the main UN human rights convention guaranteeing freedom of expression, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and as such is under an obligation to bring its laws in line with international human rights requirements.
Law and Asia Programmes Director Toby Mendel said:
“After Kazakhstan ratified the ICCPR, we hoped to see an improvement in the regulatory framework for freedom of expression. Instead, we are seeing proposals to introduce a highly undemocratic licensing scheme that would give the Kazakhstan government the kind of control over the printing industry which was done away with centuries ago in Europe. This draft Law is clearly incompatible with international law. We call on the government to abandon it and to bring Kazakhstan’s existing laws and regulations affecting press freedom in line with international standards.”