Violation of Election Laws by Approximately Thirty Media Organizations
During the election campaign in Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Information and Social Development is closely monitoring domestic mass media to ensure compliance with election legislation. This extensive monitoring covers all republican and regional media, traditional media, and internet resources.
According to Vice-Minister Kemelbek Oishybayev, regional media have been identified as frequently violating election legislation. Common violations include bias in election coverage, failure to provide balanced reporting, and breaches of rules related to campaigning and voter information dissemination. These violations often involve partiality towards certain candidates or parties and not adhering to the legal requirements to offer equal airtime or coverage during election periods.
The monitoring process involves recording all materials in the media regarding the election. Violations identified during this process will be reported to the General Prosecutor's Office and the Central Election Commission. The General Prosecutor's Office will take appropriate measures against media outlets that have violated election legislation.
As of now, approximately 30 cases have been reported, according to Vice-Minister Oishybayev. The materials of these violations have been sent to the relevant authorities. The volume of materials mentioning parties and candidates will be calculated during the monitoring process.
It is worth noting that election-related violations in Kazakhstan's regional media have been reported to sometimes show partiality or self-censorship due to political pressure. Violations usually include failure to meet impartiality standards, non-compliance with campaign advertising regulations, and distortion or omission of election information.
The monitoring will be continuous throughout the election period to ensure a fair and transparent election process. Both leaders and journalists may be held accountable for violations of election legislation. Conducting social surveys is a violation, as only specially registered legal entities can conduct public opinion polls.
The monitoring of domestic mass media, including regional media, by the Ministry of Information and Social Development, extends to policy-and-legislation related to the election, focusing on politics and general news. The regional media have been identified as frequent violators, such as bias in election coverage, failure to provide balanced reporting, and non-compliance with rules related to campaigning and voter information dissemination. These violations may lead to appropriate measures by the General Prosecutor's Office, as indicated by the ongoing reporting of approximately 30 cases to the office.
