Kazakhstan: Journalist Diana Saparkyzy Forcibly Expelled from Mine After Reporting on Fatal Fire
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns this assault on the reporter and demands immediate answers from mining company ArcelorMittal Temirtau
Location: Kazakhstan, Karaganda
Date: August 18, 2023
Men dragged journalist Diana Saparkyzy by her arms out of a mine after she interviewed relatives of miners who died in an accident. They also confiscated her recording equipment and deleted her footage. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is appalled by this aggressive attempt to hinder press from investigating the tragedy and calls on ArcelorMittal Temirtau to explain its actions.
On Friday, August 18, Diana Saparkyzy, reporter from independent news agency KazTAG, was forcefully removed from the Kazakhstanskaya mine in the central Karaganda region.
Five plainclothes men, who did not identify themselves, grabbed Saparkyzy by her arms and forcefully escorted her out of the building. They confiscated her backpack and threw out her belongings, including glasses and a tripod.
The men continued to drag her to the mine's gates, where Saparkyzy attempted to film them on her cell phone. One of the men then grabbed her from behind, while another seized her phone.
The journalist managed to restore the deleted footage after retrieving her phone, which the men dropped during the struggle.
As a result of the incident, Saparkyzy suffered bruising on her arms. The journalist has lodged a complaint with the police and underwent a forensic medical examination. As of yet, no criminal case has been opened.
ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the company that owns the mine, has gained a reputation for a high number of fatalities at its mines in the region. The assault on Saparkyzy occurred just a day after a fire at the mine resulted in the deaths of five miners.
Saparkyzy - well-known in Kazakhstan for her unwavering commitment to principled journalism - believes that the company forcibly ejected her to suppress coverage of the disaster.
She explained to CPJ that she decided to report from the site of the Kazakhstanskaya mine due to the limited information provided by ArcelorMittal Temirtau in press releases and the restriction of journalists to a pre-arranged press conference.
This is not the first instance of Saparkyzy being targeted, as she was previously harassed by a police officer, who later apologized for his behavior.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism expresses deep concern over the assault on Diana Saparkyzy, a journalist who was gathering information about a fatal fire. While investigating the incident, she was forcibly removed from the mine, had her equipment confiscated, and suffered injuries. This violent and aggressive treatment clearly indicates that her reporting at the mine was not welcomed.
In light of this, we strongly believe that the mining company must be held accountable for the actions of their employees towards the journalist. We urge ArcelorMittal Temirtau to condemn the mistreatment of Saparkyzy and cooperate with the police investigation into the assault against her.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.
