OSCE media representative welcomes release of jailed Kazakhstani editor

VIENNA, 15 March 2011 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, welcomed today the release from custody of Igor Vinyavsky, the Chief Editor of Kazakhstan’s Vzglyad newspaper. 

“This is a positive sign and, hopefully, a turning point in the recent negative trend against Vzglyad and other independent media outlets,” Mijatović said.

Vinyavsky had been in pre-trial custody since late January on suspicion of calling for forceful overthrow of the government. On the day he was detained, security officers searched Vzglyad’s main editorial offices in Almaty, seizing computers and financial records.

Mijatović said she hoped that the charges pressed against Vinyavsky would be dropped and that the newspaper would be able to quickly retrieve its equipment and records.