Home arrest sanctioned for Seitkazy Matayev

Home arrest has been sanctioned for Seitkazy Matayev, chairman of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan, said a reporter from the court's room.

"Satisfy the claim of the head of investigation department for combat with corruption on the restriction measure in respect of Seitkazy Matayev in the form of home arrest," said Anina Baidauletova, judge of Medeu district court N2.
She said, Matayev is not allowed to communicate with other persons, except for the members of his family and lawyers, including through the Internet and telephone. Custody has been established at the place of his residence.
Previously, the prosecutor's office had claimed to take S. Matayev under arrest.
In turn, Andrey Petrov, lawyer of S. Matayev had requested to let his defendant out on bail.

As it was reported, Seitkazy Matayev was detained by the department of the national bureau for corruption combat in Almaty on suspicion of embezzlement of budget funds on especially large scale and evasion from tax payment on February 22.

Meanwhile, Matayev declared, he estimates the actions of the employees of the national bureau for corruption combat as illegal.

"We estimate these illegal actions of the anti-corruption service as an attempt to bring pressure by the state body on non governmental unions and mass media, hinder the professional journalism activity, restrict the freedom of speech, hinder spread of information," reads the statement of Seitkazy and Aset Matayev.

The journalism community boiled over the statement of the department of the national bureau for corruption combat as Matayev had been factually declared criminal before the court.

Almost 400 well known journalists claimed the Prosecutor's General of Kazakhstan "to get the investigation under control and provide maximum publicity and transparency of the investigation".

Home arrest of Seitkazy Matayev restricts his right for defense - Adil Soz

Home arrest for Seitkazy Matayev restricts his right for defense, said Tamara Kaleyeva, president of the international fund for protection of freedom of speech Adil Soz.

"Although the procedural court ruling is legal, we should take into account that he had asked to set him out on bail, so that he could take part in his defense to the maximum, to take all the necessary measures and provide the evidences of his innocence. He had initially declared about his innocence. Talking about his right for full defense, undoubtedly, it restricts his right for defense," said Kaleyeva to KazTAG.

She emphasized, that allegedly violation of obligation by Matayev on appearance in the investigation bodies, which resulted in the decision on home arrest, has not been fixed documentarily.

"Here are many contradictions. He says he did not violate any requirements of investigator on interrogations and other investigatory arrangements. The thing that has been read by the judge,- he deviated. Where is it fixed? How is it fixed? It looks like we have to believe the words of the servants of law. But journalists don't take the words of anybody," she said.

In her opinion, detention of Matayev and his home arrest complicate the chance to show his innocence.

"Undoubtedly, he was detained in order to be deprived of the chance to voice his position on this accusation, I believe the current judicial decision will complicate his defense," she said.

Source: kaztag