Amir Kasenov, the editor-in-chief of the KazTAG agency, has made allegations regarding torture and illegal investigative methods employed by the police in Almaty, reports a KazTAG correspondent.
In his video address posted on Facebook, Kasenov stated: “I, Amir Kasenov, editor-in-chief of MIA KazTAG, report on the unacceptable actions of the police, which have become possible due to a fabricated criminal case initiated by Russian billionaire Timur Turlov and his company Freedom Finance.”
He presented a sequence of events. “On July 18, Turlov's employees filed a complaint with the Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov. On the same day, a criminal case was opened in Almaty, even though all materials related to the Freedom Finance case and testimonies of the victims were prepared by me in Astana. Nevertheless, the case was initiated in Almaty, which contradicts current legislation,” Kasenov continued.
According to him, the editorial office learned about the initiation of the criminal case through the media, specifically through the publication “Kursiv,” which is controlled by Turlov, only at the end of November.
“When I contacted the press secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Shyngys Alekeshov, he assured me that the case would be closed, that KazTAG would not be subjected to persecution, and asked not to make a fuss. We kept our promise not to raise a scandal for two and a half weeks, but ultimately the police recognized us as suspects without our knowledge,” he added.
Kasenov pointed out that this is a serious violation.
“Now we are summoned every time. For example, today we were invited to the Almaty police department, but no reasons were explained. When we arrived, it turned out that there was supposed to be a confrontation between me and Aset Mataev. However, since I, as a suspect, refused to testify, this confrontation could not take place,” the editor-in-chief explained.
He also reported pressure from the investigator, which he considers to be torture.
“We filed a complaint about the investigator's actions and requested to initiate the Istanbul Protocol mechanism,” Kasenov added.
Journalists also demanded the investigator's recusal, but he ignored their request and did not discuss this issue with the management.
Kasenov suggested that the real goal of the criminal case is to hold Aset Mataev accountable, despite the fact that he does not interfere in editorial policy.
“I am confident that the police are trying to use Aset to pressure me to achieve our compliance,” the journalist noted.
Kasenov also pointed out that the Minister of Internal Affairs recently took a photo with Turlov, raising questions about Sadenov's possible interest in this case.
“Why are you, Mr. Sadenov, so eager to bring us to criminal liability for a knowingly fabricated case?” Kasenov asked.
He also reported that all materials underlying the case were collected in Astana, which compels them to demand the transfer of the case to the jurisdiction of Astana.
We remind you that the criminal case against the leadership of KazTAG was initiated based on testimonies from a lawyer and victims of fraud at Freedom Finance. On April 3, 2025, they approached the editorial office with a complaint about publications that, according to them, were made in the interests of Freedom Finance.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed its concern regarding the criminal case, and the international organization for the protection of freedom of speech “Adil Soz” also voiced its concerns.
Lawyer Rena Kerimova noted that the victims' lawyer mentioned facts related to the criminal case in a video published on YouTube and did not provide false information. Kasenov added that criminal prosecution is the only way to silence honest journalists.
It is important to note that the criminal prosecution of KazTAG's leadership is attracting attention from both local and international media.
Support for KazTAG's leadership has also been expressed by members of parliament and public figures.
Kasenov also reported that on December 10, he requested a confrontation with Timur Turlov and intends to summon all investors of the company for questioning.
KazTAG provided the embassies of the USA and the EU with an audio recording of a conversation with Ruslan Kakenev, a former top manager of Freedom Finance, where he claims to have conducted a $62 million operation to circumvent anti-Russian sanctions, and a request was also sent to regulators.
On December 11, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balaeva stated that the ministry's lawyers are working to assist KazTAG.
Lawyer Rena Kerimova believes that the ministry's assistance may not be needed if the investigation had timely notified about the criminal case. She added that the case against KazTAG is a manipulation and an attempt to pressure a reputable media outlet.
On December 12, it became known that the embassies of the USA, the UK, and the EU are monitoring the situation regarding the criminal case.
On December 13, KazTAG reported that the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM) provided false information in response to a request regarding Kakenev's statements, while the regulator misspelled his name.
On December 13, it also became known that all investors of Freedom Finance are being summoned for questioning in the case against KazTAG, and on December 14, signs of coordinated police actions were discovered in the criminal case.
On December 15, lawyer Erlan Makenov, representing Kasenov's interests, supported the position of the victims' lawyer, and the US embassy also voiced its position on the KazTAG case.
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