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of Human Rights Defenders

7 November 2011

On 26 October 2011, human rights defenders and journalists Messrs Asan Amilov and Orken Bisenov were attacked by four unknown individuals a few kilometres outside Aktau, the capital of Mangystau province.

Further Information

The assailants used baseball bats to beat their victims and a pistol to fire rubber bullets at them during the course of the attack. Both Asan Amilov, a cameraman, and Orken Bisenov, a journalist, work for Stan TV, an independent news website and online TV station which reports on life in Kazakhstan and the neighbouring countries. Asan Amilov and Orken Bisenov have been covering the ongoing oil strike in Mangystau province since May 2011.

On 26 October 2011, at approximately 2 pm, Asan Amilov and Orken Bisenov were leaving Building 40 of the Second Microdistrict, Aktau, and were on their way to investigate the alleged beating of an oil worker in the area when they were approached by four unknown men. It is reported that the men emerged from a white Toyota Prado, registration number 708, armed with baseball bats. The assailants repeatedly beat the journalists with the bats, and a pistol was used to fire rubber bullets at them. The attackers smashed Asan Amilov’s camera and stole Orken Bisenov’s laptop before departing the scene. The laptop contained footage relating to the oil workers’ strike due to be shown in the journalists’ next broadcast.

Asan Amilov and Orken Bisenov have undergone treatment in the trauma ward of City Hospital No.12 in Almaty. Asan Amilov lost a lot of blood from a serious head injury, as well as sustaining serious leg injuries, a broken shoulder blade and a broken collar-bone. He has yet to be released from hospital. Orken Bisenov sustained a back injury, but has been released and is continuing treatment in the outpatient clinic.

This is the latest in a series of attacks and threats against journalists reporting on the oil workers’ strike which have occurred in the last six months.

The attack is being investigated as a “violent robbery” under Article 179 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The criminal investigation is being carried out under the supervision of Mr Diusen Koyshibaev, head of the Aktau City Department of Internal Affairs.

Front Line believes that the attack against Asan Amilov and Orken Bisenov is directly related to their legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular their coverage of the oil workers’ strike. Front Line is seriously concerned for the physical and psychological integrity and security of Asan Amilov and Orken Bisenov, and all other journalists covering the strike.