US criticises Kazakhstan for suppressing Borat
A US government report has criticised Kazakhstan over moves to suppress fictional character Borat.
The State Department’s annual human rights report claimed Borat was a victim in his own 'homeland' after Kazakhstan took action against the satirical website of Sacha Baron Cohen, the British creator of the fictional Kazakh journalist.
The film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan was a huge hit last year.
Baron Cohen also starred in the comedy, which was filmed as a pseudo-documentary chronicling Borat’s wanderings across the US.
Specifically, the report said the Kazakh government took control of the registration of .kz internet domains in 2005 and revoked Baron Cohen’s domain because it deemed his site offensive.
The State Department cited independent web media reports that the government of the former Soviet state in central Asia monitored email and internet activity, blocked or slowed access to opposition websites and planted propaganda in internet chat rooms.
“The government limited individuals’ ability to criticise the country’s leadership, and regional leaders attempted to limit local media outlets’ criticism of them,” said the report.
