All posts tagged european-union

Reporters Without Borders condemns a wave of harassment of news media and journalists critical of a proposed referendum that would allow President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has ruled since 1989, to continue in office until 2020 without having to run for reelection in 2012. “This attempt to perpetuate a dictatorial regime in flagrant violation of basic democratic principles is liable to be accompanied by more repression of critical media and a sharp deterioration in freedom of expression,” Reporters Without Borders said. “As Nazarbayev himself is officially said to be opposed to the referendum, it is astonishing that all those who try to criticize it are immediately silenced.” The press freedom organization added: “The European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, of which Kazakhstan held the rotatating presidency in 2010, must move urgently to protect media freedom and to press the Kazakh authorities to stop all forms of abusive treatment of journalists.” The idea of a national referendum to extend the president’s mandate was launched by a group of Nazarbayev supporters in December and was adopted unanimously by parliament on 14 January