39 capital journalists have sent a collective appeal to the Chairman of the Kurultai, Aibek Dadebai, requesting permission to ask questions beyond the briefing agenda. They also propose revising the rules, the violation of which can lead to accreditation being revoked for six months.
WHAT THE JOURNALISTS ARE DEMANDING
According to the Telegram channel “Za nami uzhe vyekhali”, the appeal was sent through the e-Өтініш system. The journalists are asking for changes to the briefing regulations approved by the Kurultai bureau in September 2026.
Under the current rules, media representatives are permitted to ask questions only on the topic of the session. For questions unrelated to the agenda, the press service records a violation. A repeat offence may lead to accreditation being revoked for six months.
At the same time, the regulations do not specify which questions are considered to go beyond the agenda. The decision is made by the briefing moderator.
The authors of the appeal propose permitting questions within the competence of the invited speaker, not treating them as a violation, and recording any complaints in writing, giving journalists the opportunity to explain their position.
HOW THE KURULTAI EXPLAINED THE RESTRICTIONS
Earlier, on 10 September, Deputy Chair of the Kurultai Daniya Yespayeva commented on the restrictions for journalists. Responding to a question from journalist Botagoz Omarova, she stated that the work of the media had not been restricted but regulated.
According to Yespayeva, journalists should pay more attention to the bills being considered by MPs rather than to “hype” topics.
“What matters to the people is which laws are being passed today,” she stressed.
Yespayeva also noted that media representatives can contact any of the 145 MPs through the press service and invite parliamentarians for interviews.
ULYSMEDIA JOURNALIST THREATENED WITH ACCREDITATION REVOCATION
One such case occurred after a briefing on 30 September 2026. The Kurultai apparatus sent a warning to the editorial office of Ulysmedia over questions from journalist Assem Gumarova about the deaths of 14 servicemen in the Caspian.
The briefing was devoted to the Convention on Cybercrime. The Kurultai apparatus deemed her questions not to correspond to the agenda and warned the editorial office that, in the event of a repeat violation, it could initiate the revocation of the journalist's accreditation for six months.
WHAT HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS SAY
The head of the international free speech protection foundation “Әділ сөз”, Nazira Darimbet, believes that such restrictions create conditions for self-censorship.
In her opinion, journalists are forced to choose between asking tough questions and maintaining access to officials.
The collective appeal by 39 journalists has already been sent to the Chairman of the Kurultai. There is as yet no information about an official response.
