Detention of the head of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan came as a bombshell - Deutsche Welle

Almaty. February 23. Silkroadnews - Detention of the head of Kazakhstan’s Journalists Union Seitkazy Matayev comes as a bombshell, the German office of Deutsche Welle informs.
“Information on detention of the head of the country’s Journalists Union, KazTAG information agency and National Press Club Seitkazy Matayev by the officers of the Almaty department of the national anti-corruption agency came as a bombshell in the morning on February 22. For the first time in Kazakhstan’s history all the country’s mass-media reported the forcible conveyance of S. Matayev to the anti-corruption bureau investigators,” - the publication says.
Deutsche Welle reminds, later agency reassured the public saying S. Matayev was only taken for questioning to conduct the investigative experiment, for which he refused to come upon a request. Yet, very soon it became known that he is suspected of committing serious corruption and economic crimes assuming the punishment for a term of 6 to 12 years of imprisonment.
    The journalistic community of Kazakhstan, according to the DW, perceived the report by the anticorruption agency with a caution. Vadim Boreyko, well-known journalist of Kazakhstan said in his interview to DW it all because Seitkazy Matayev is actually announced criminal before the court hearings.
The master of the Kazakhstani journalism is not the only one who shares this opinion. In their appeal on detention of Seitkazy Matayev about 300 known journalists of the country claimed the General Prosecutor Office of Kazakhstan “to take the investigation of this case under the special control and ensure maximum openness and transparency of the investigation”.     
“We do not give estimations on the investigation conducted and are not trying to judge the validity of the accusations. However, we want to say that Seitkazy Matayev is a journalist and public figure known in Kazakhstan, the former press secretary of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a person of authority and reputation among the colleagues and politicians not only in our country but also abroad. The grave accusations against him, moreover, brought during the election campaign, could be interpreted as an attempt to restrict the freedom of speech, stop the activities by KazTAG news agency and the National Press Club,” - the statement of Journalists of Kazakhstan says.    
Meanwhile, in his interview with DW General Director of KazTAG news agency Asset Matayev said Almaty anti-corruption agency officers assured him and his father not to give a publicity to their reconduction, as in this case the point of no return will be passed.
According to him, the point in case is not in the economic activity of KazTAG agency and the National Press Club, but some people’s desire to punish his father for a special social positioning. In addition, A. Matayev believes, the “customers” do also have a vested interest – to take over the buildings located in the center of Astana and Almaty and owned by KazTAG agency. A. Matayev said he is not yet ready to name the “customers” as his father’s safety is still menaced.