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A new video has surfaced in the case involving KazTAG news agency's General Director Aset Matayev and Editor-in-Chief Amir Kasenov. The video reportedly refutes accusations that the agency published materials concerning the Freedom Finance company at the behest of a third party.

Matayev's Statement on the Video

In a video posted on his Facebook page, Aset Matayev addressed the allegations. He stated that the video shows individuals claiming to be victims of Freedom Finance contacting Amir Kasenov. The individuals demand a meeting with Kasenov, who, according to Matayev, advises them to approach state authorities. Lawyer Oralbaeva is heard demanding clear information regarding Freedom Finance, emphasizing the need for first-hand verified data.

Content of the Phone Conversation

The editorial office has published the full transcript of a phone conversation between KazTAG Editor-in-Chief Amir Kasenov and a lawyer representing Freedom Finance investors, Svetlana Oralbaeva, which took place in April 2025. During the call, Oralbaeva raised concerns about incomplete and inaccurate information provided to the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM) and cited multiple criminal cases initiated against Freedom Finance. Kasenov, citing time constraints due to a Senate session, advised Oralbaeva to direct her complaints to the official state bodies.

Oralbaeva insisted that criminal cases were initiated not at Freedom Finance's request, but at the request of investors, and mentioned documents related to money transfers from Freedom Finance's head, Svetovoy. She questioned how the company could trade on Nasdaq without the necessary licenses, according to Nasdaq data.

Kasenov invited Oralbaeva to visit the KazTAG office with her documents and provided contact information for further arrangements. The conversation touched upon the initiation of criminal cases and the alleged obstruction by the ARDFM.

Background of the Case

It is recalled that the criminal case against KazTAG leadership was based on testimonies from an attorney and individuals who claimed to be victims of fraud at Freedom Finance. These individuals reportedly contacted KazTAG on April 3, 2025, complaining that the published information favored Freedom Finance and that they were unable to obtain justice through media, law enforcement, or regulatory bodies.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech "Adil Soz" have expressed concern over the criminal case against KazTAG leadership.

Lawyer Rena Korimova stated that the victims' lawyer in the video only presented facts related to criminal cases against Svetovoy and others, without providing false information. Amir Kasenov, the agency's editor-in-chief, noted that criminal prosecution is often used to silence honest journalists.

The legal proceedings against KazTAG leadership have attracted attention from numerous Kazakh and international media outlets. Additionally, members of parliament, public figures, and professional communities have voiced their support for KazTAG's leadership.

Previously, on December 10, Kasenov had expressed his intention to demand a face-to-face meeting with Timur Turlov, the beneficiary of Freedom Finance, and to petition for the compulsory appearance of all company investors if they evaded the meeting. KazTAG also shared audio recordings and transcripts with US and EU embassies, as well as Kazakh authorities, detailing an alleged $62 million operation to circumvent sanctions against Russia, attributed to a former Freedom Finance top manager, Rustem Kakenov.

On December 11, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva announced that her ministry's legal experts were exploring ways to assist KazTAG. Lawyer Rena Korimova suggested that the Ministry of Culture and Information's assistance might not have been necessary if the investigation had been transparent from the outset, characterizing the case against KazTAG as an attempt to manipulate and attack reputable media.

By December 12, it was known that the US, UK, and EU embassies were monitoring the criminal case involving Matayev and Kasenov. On December 13, KazTAG reported that the ARDFM provided the agency with false information regarding Rustem Kakenov's employment history, initially stating he never worked for Freedom Finance, despite his conviction as a former head of Freedom Finance's Kostanay branch. A subsequent inquiry clarified that the individual in question was Rustem Kakenov.

On December 13, it was also announced that all Freedom Finance investors would be summoned for the investigation, and on December 14, signs of coordinated police action were identified in the criminal case against KazTAG. On December 15, lawyer Yerlan Makenov, representing Amir Kasenov, supported lawyer Svetlana Oralbaeva, the representative of the victims in the Freedom Finance case. On the same day, the US Embassy expressed its stance on the criminal case against KazTAG. On December 17, the EU Embassy also stated its position on the KazTAG case. On December 16, Kasenov reported pressure being applied to him.

On December 17, international human rights organizations issued a statement calling for an end to pressure on journalists, citing a recent crackdown on independent media and journalists in Kazakhstan. On December 19, KazTAG General Director Aset Matayev, Editor-in-Chief Amir Kasenov, their lawyers, and alleged victims from the Freedom Finance case held a press conference in Astana. On December 23, Kasenov was detained in Astana, with victims from the Freedom Finance case later coming under his protection. On December 24, Gulmira Birzhanova, head of the legal service "Media Qoldau," expressed significant concern over the case's circumstances, and members of parliament commented on the detention of the agency's editor-in-chief, suggesting the decriminalization of the relevant article.

Additionally, the "Adil Soz" International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech sent an open letter to Prosecutor General Berik Asylov and the Supreme Court. Amir Kasenov, KazTAG's editor-in-chief, reported going on a hunger strike from the pre-trial detention center, while his lawyers stated that the detention center administration had not been notified of his hunger strike. On the night of December 25, after a five-hour court session, Kasenov was released from pre-trial detention and placed under house arrest. On December 25, journalist Mikhail Kozachkov commented that Article 274 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (dissemination of knowingly false information) seemed specifically designed for journalists.

On December 29, searches were conducted at Kasenov's apartment and the KazTAG MIA office, with lawyers reportedly denied access. On January 9, 2026, lawyer Yulia Malyukova revealed that Kasenov's side had expressed distrust towards the Internal Affairs Directorate's own security department regarding previous allegations of police pressure. On January 13, the UN expressed concern over the persecution of journalists, human rights defenders, and activists in Kazakhstan. On January 27, a court in Almaty was scheduled to review a petition for house arrest concerning Matayev, and on January 28, the prosecutor's office withdrew its petition for house arrest against the KazTAG General Director. Despite being under house arrest and without his ID, Kasenov was summoned to the Almaty police on January 31. On February 1, the editorial office cited the opinion of prominent lawyer and human rights defender Aiman Omarova, a member of the National Commission for Women's Affairs and Family-Demographic Policy under the President and a recipient of the US State Department's International Women of Courage Award, suggesting that KazTAG journalists might be sacrificed for a businessman.

On February 3, Aygun Kasenova, wife of KazTAG's editor-in-chief, reported that circumstances were being created for Kasenov to violate the house arrest regime imposed by the Almaty City Investigation Court. On the same day, lawyer Yulia Malyukova discussed potential reasons for provocations against Kasenov. On February 5, it was reported that KazTAG MIA won a court case against former Freedom Finance top manager Temirlan Bekov, who had sought to remove allegedly false and defamatory information about himself published in an article titled "Another Freedom Finance Top Manager Involved in Criminal Case." On February 6, the editorial office reported that Roskomnadzor, Russia's federal service for supervision in the sphere of communications, information technology, and mass media, had requested the blocking of the KazTAG website in relation to the criminal case against General Director Aset Matayev and Editor-in-Chief Amir Kasenov. The blocking request was based on articles such as "KazTAG leaders, their lawyers, and affected investors of Freedom Finance made a statement (video)," "Lawyer supported the representative of the victims in the Freedom Finance case," and "Victims of Freedom Finance came under the protection of Amir Kasenov." Notably, the Russian side did not object to the photo illustrations. The Russian court cited "copyright infringement" as the reason for the blocking, considering the press conference facts and other statements made during the investigation involving KazTAG leadership, their lawyers, and affected Freedom Finance investors as copyright violations. The copyright for this content reportedly belongs to KazTAG agency, its lawyers, and the affected Freedom Finance investors who supported the journalists. However, this did not prevent the Russian court from issuing an unlawful decision and, based on it, Roskomnadzor demanding that a Kazakh hosting provider block the Kazakh media website for "copyright infringement." On February 7, it was revealed that Russia might gain the right to block websites in Kazakhstan within the Eurasian Economic Union framework in the coming months, potentially citing "copyright infringement" by Kazakh websites as a reason for blocking. On February 13, the new US Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Julie Staff, reported that she is closely monitoring the situation regarding criminal cases against independent media. On the same day, the editorial office identified Russian lawyer Dorina Danilova as being behind the demands for blocking the KazTAG website based on the Russian court's decision. She is reportedly involved in blocking materials concerning Turlov. In her claims, she attributed authorship of articles such as "KazTAG leaders, their lawyers, and affected investors of Freedom-made a statement (video)," "Lawyer supported the representative of the victims in the Freedom Finance case," and "Victims of Freedom Finance came under the protection of Amir Kasenov" to herself, although they actually belong to the KazTAG news agency. On February 16, KazTAG reported that the Moscow City Court, based on a similar claim by Danilova, had requested the blocking of two more Kazakh media websites, Ulysmedia.kz and Cmn.kz, in relation to articles about Turlov. On the evening of February 16, the Medeu District Court of Almaty closed the civil proceedings initiated by Freedom Finance against KazTAG MIA. On February 17, the editorial office reported that the Moscow City Court had requested a ban on KazTAG concerning another article about Turlov, specifically a material titled "Lawyer: Turlov is the same Mavrodi who takes Kazakh money offshore." On the same day, the court extended Kasenov's house arrest, disregarding numerous violations pointed out by lawyer Salimzhan Musin. On February 23, the editorial office shared the opinion that the court decision in the civil lawsuit filed by Freedom Finance against KazTAG MIA was predetermined. On the same day, Aygun Kasenova, wife of KazTAG's editor-in-chief, stated that Amir Kasenov refused to participate in the civil court hearing regarding the lawsuit filed by Russian oligarch Timur Turlov's Freedom Finance company, expressing distrust towards the judge. Photo credit: KazTAG and ffin.uz