Sadykov, Natalya
Who, Why and How exiled: Natalia Sadykova is a journalist, she previously worked for the Kazakh TV channels ‘Rika TV’, ‘Channel 7’. She has written articles for the opposition newspapers ‘Respublika’ and ‘Assandi Times’. Together with her husband Aidos Sadykov, they published materials critical to the Kazakh authorities. Their articles cover the issue of extremism and terrorism, social problems of oil workers in Aktobe Province, corruption scandals, conflicts between regional elites (Savchenko, 2014).
Aidos and Natalya Sadykov was persecuted in their homeland due to their journalistic activities. They were forced to leave Kazakhstan, as Natalya faced imprisonment for libel.
Stage 1 details (accusations/ charges/ Interpol notice/ extradition requests): She fled Kazakhstan on March 9, 2014 and went to Ukraine after police sources told her she could be arrested after a former parliament member accused her of libeling him in an article published in Respublika. Sadykova denied writing the article (Savchenko, 2014; CPJ, 2014). The Sadykov family noted that in recent years they have constantly been shadowed, with even their telephones being tapped in Kazakhstan. In March 2010, Natalia addressed international human rights organisations, the OSCE and the European Parliament, stating that the continuous threats directed at her are, according to her, masterminded by the leadership of the Aktobe Province. The Kazakh authorities have instituted several criminal cases against Aidos Sadykov and even forced him to submit to involuntary psychiatric treatment. He spent nearly two years in a penal colony, having been convicted on charges which human rights defenders recognised as politically motivated (Savchenko, 2014).
Stage 2 details (arrest/ detention/ extradition): On 5 March, 2014, the Court No. 2 in Aktobe opened a criminal case against Natalia Sadykova under Article 129, section 3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (‘Slander, connected with accusations of corruption, or committing a grave or especially grave crime’) (Savchenko, 2014).
Current status: Together with her husband she is currently residing in Ukraine (Savchenko, 2014; CPJ, 2014).
Press sources: Savchenko, I. 2014. 'Journalists request Ukraine and the European Union’s protection from the oppression of Kazakh authorities'. Open Dialog,. April. 01, 2014. [Online]. Available at: http://en.odfoundation.eu/a/3319,journalists-request-ukraine-and-the-european-union-s-protection-from-the-oppression-of-kazakh-authorities Committee to protect journalists, 2014.'Kazakh authorities shut down another newspaper'. April 3, 2014. [Online]. Available at: https://cpj.org/2014/04/kazakh-authorities-shut-down-another-newspaper.php