Editor of magazine may seek justice in Hague after Hitler publication

Zharylkap KalybaiEditor-in-Chief Zharylkap Kalybai of Anyz Adam magazine based in Almaty, the April issue of which was dedicated to Hitler, announced that he intends to file a lawsuit against KTK TV channel and RoK Information and Communication Agency, azh.kz reports.

“I did nothing illegal, however they say I kindle social discord and for that may face a 12 year prison term. I will take the matter to the Hague court to prove I am not guilty. It's a provocation. Let them read the content and, if necessary, a commission expert’s evaluation,” reports KazTAG, quoting Kalybai after press conferences on Monday.

Kalybai claims his intentions have been misunderstood.

“What we wanted to say is if a person like Hitler comes to power, he will lead the world to another disaster. We should not allow such people to hold power. Unfortunately, those who do not read [magazines/newspapers] in the Kazakh language, did not get our intentions right,” Kalybai stated.

According to Kalybai, the situation around the magazine was sparkled by Russian mass media discontented over a comparison of now Russia's leader Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler, expressed by one of the issue's authors.

Kalybai also said he is willing to sue KTK TV channel and the RoK Information and Communication Agency.

Two well known figures of Kazakhstan - Kazakh actor Asanali Ashimov and poet Mukhtar Shakhanov spoke out in support of the magazine.

“The magazine is of informative character and it doesn’t have a seditious content that could be a reason to declare the journalists public enemies, as it used to be in the USSR. I read the magazine thoroughly and I can't say it propagandizes Hitler. Hitler was a well-known person and he was neither better nor worse than Goloschekin, who killed millions of people, too. In my 77 years I learnt from this magazine a lot of things, therefore, I am protecting it from Russian journalists. Someone deliberately misinterprets the content and others are following them,” said Ashimov.

According to poet Shakhanov closing a magazine for one's published opinion stating the magazine thinks Hitler wasn't a fascist is a nonsense.

“The content is about Hitler's villainies. It is a lesson for our youth. One person praised and 50-60 people criticized Hitler. Because of one opinion it is unwise to close the magazine. It is a global nonsense,” said Shakhanov.

In his turn public figure Zhasaral Kuanyshalin called to make responsible those who slander and support the shut down of the magazine.

As reported earlier, the April issue of Anyz Adam was dedicated to a discussion of Hitler and the fascist ideology. Zharylkap Kalybai is the chief editor.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a note to Kazakhstan following the Adolf Hitler publication of the magazine.

To recall, on April 21 a group of WWII veterans publicly burned the issue of the magazine in Almaty.