Radio Azattyk is closing its Russian editorial office in Kazakhstan. The republic’s media reported. The information was confirmed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) media corporation, which includes the Kazakhstan branch.
Karin Maree, RFE/RL’s External Affairs Director, said that the corporation plans to create a new regional division that will cover all of Central Asia, including Kazakhstan. According to her, this unification of resources will improve the quality of journalism and reduce duplication of efforts.
The new branch will include journalists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, working on a single platform. The implementation dates have not yet been announced, as well as the details of the work of the combined editorial office.
Earlier, the International Press Institute expressed concern about the situation around Radio Azattyk and new amendments to the legislation on the media in Kazakhstan. According to media reports, the country’s Foreign Ministry previously refused accreditation to 36 journalists from Radio Azattyk.
