The Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan took part in the 22nd Central Asian online media conference

October 7-9 this year The Office of the OSCE Office on Freedom of the Media is hosting the 22nd Annual Central Asian Media Conference online.
During the conference, an exchange of views and experience took place on topical issues in the media sphere, including freedom of speech, dissemination of "fake" information and the role of media in the development of countries in the Central Asian region.
The event was attended by about 100 representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia, including journalists, representatives of government agencies, civil society organizations and representatives of the scientific community.
On October 9, Vice Minister of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kemelbek Oyshybayev acted as a speaker at the session: "Response to the COVID-19 crisis: media regulation, economic factors and solidarity." In addition, the event was attended by Tamara Kaleeva, President of the Adil Soz International Foundation for the Protection of Freedom of Expression, Shakhlo Akobirova, Managing Director of the Khoma Public Organization of the Republic of Tajikistan, Azat Seytmukhammetov, Editor-in-Chief of the Arzuw News Agency of Turkmenistan, and Executive Director of the Center for Information Law of the Kyrgyz Republic Nurgul Abdykerimova and others.
Kemelbek Oyshybaev noted the importance of timely informing the population about the current situation in the country, promptly responding to unreliable and fake information materials with the obligatory observance of the conditions for safeguarding freedom of speech and media. In particular, the vice minister said that in the fight against COVID-2019, the Ministry has built work in such areas as a broad outreach work on the current situation with COVID-19, the creation of the Republican Communication Center to coordinate the activities of the media and press services of state bodies ; sites coronavirus2020.kz, stopfake.kz, telegram channel and mobile application. In addition, the speaker announced the measures taken by the Ministry to support commercial media.
During the session, the problems of media freedom in Central Asia and Mongolia, which arose as a result of the pandemic, were discussed, including the current legislation and, according to the circumstances of individual cases, which may have a negative impact on media freedom.