Factcheck.kz is the project of the International Center for Journalism "MediaNet". The registration documents of "MediaNet" are attached.

MediaNet is NGO established by the group of Kazakhstani journalists in 2004. Our mission is to support the development of the civil society in Kazakhstan and Central Asia by consolidating the potential of independent media outlets, supporting public organizations, human rights activists and promoting freedom of speech. For further reference see our website - https://medianet.kz/en/about-us/.

Factcheck.kz is a well-known project in Kazakhstan that has been registered under the International Center for Journalism "MediaNet". The centre provides not only training but research papers and operates as a watch-dog media organization. 

The applicant provided the document with legal registration. The public fund “International Center for Journalism “MediaNet” got registration number first time in 2009. 

The resource factchek.kz is named in the official web-site (medianet.kz) of the organization too.

Here is the link to fact-checks in Russian - https://factcheck.kz/category/verdict/ and in Kazakh - https://factcheck.kz/kaz/category/tarazy/.

Also we do promise tracking: in Russian - https://factcheck.kz/category/kontrol-obeshhanij/ and in Kazakh - https://factcheck.kz/kaz/category/uadelerdi-kadagalau/ministrometr/

The applicants' resource has a calendar which makes easy to follow the new updates and Factcheck.kz announces about new posts via social media channels, including telegram account.

By checking the calendar function on the site I see that at least one post been published (some days they have more than one) on that day.

The posts content varies from education to health and political figures promise to the economic sector. 

However, the structure of the post and the way of delivering the message is the same. All posts contain the reason for the fact-checking process and explain the way of fact verification by concluding with a verdict. 

Ten fact checks attached in PDF file below. There you'll find links to articles in Russian and Kazakh with English version.

Briefly speaking we check the claims made by politicians, official figures, media outlets and organizations. There are four main principles when choosing which claim to check: first, whether the claim contains the fact (not the opinions or suggestions), second if the theme of the claim is actual for the society, third if it is checkable in terms of access to open sources and open data, fourth in terms of how much time and people are needed to check the claim. Also, we check some public narratives (for example myths about vaccination) and hoaxes spreading in dark social.

We use only open sources links to which we provide in every fact check. For some materials, we ask the independent experts to clarify the situation and nuances.

We clearly state our transparency in everything - funding, organization, sources, methodology on our website - so adhering to the same principles as IFCN.

You can read about our claim selection criteria here - https://factcheck.kz/en/selection-criteria-for-claims/ . Here is the Russian version - https://factcheck.kz/kriterii-otbora-materiala-dlya-proverki/ and the Kazakh one - https://factcheck.kz/kaz/biz-turaly/tekseruge-arnalgan-materialdardy-tandau-kriterijleri/ .

General fact-checking principles can be found there - https://factcheck.kz/en/about-project/ . Again, in Russian - https://factcheck.kz/o-nas/ - and in Kazakh - https://factcheck.kz/kaz/biz-turaly/  

The applicant clearly states on their resource information regarding the methodology in Kazakh, Russian, and English. The selection criteria for claims clearly distinguish the type of fact-checking materials (fact-check, debunking, promise track, propaganda format).

The published posts on the web-site mostly written in an explanatory-analytical way and provide the chronology of the fact-checking process. Posts have quotes or responses from official sources who were responsible for the fact.

Despite the content of the posts the applicant uses the same standard and presents the policy on the resource. 

In order to comply with the principle of neutrality, the authors of the Factcheck.kz cannot be members of political parties and work in the state organizations. Also, in order to avoid conflicts of interest, authors cannot write about the organizations in which they work.

The policy has been declared in our rules - https://factcheck.kz/en/about-project/ (https://factcheck.kz/o-nas/, https://factcheck.kz/kaz/biz-turaly/)

From the applicant’s document: “The editor's office strongly refuses to publish in their articles information of an illegal nature, or with propaganda and advertising. Our project has no contractual or verbal obligations towards state bodies, companies of quasi-public sector and commercial organizations”.

Factcheck.kz makes its priority to stay outside “political and other camps”. It is written in their policy and by scanning the content of the project we can see the diversity of the content. Moreover, factcheck.kz provides and examples when the authors check claims by officials and prominent specialists in society. The facts verified and the explanation is given mostly by several experts.  

We use the information only from publicly available sources links to which are provided in every fact-checking material. If the data we received is from the official inquiry we embed it in the article. For some themes we ask the opinions of independent experts which can clarify the background and nuances of the fact we check.

We provide the links to all open sources, documents, data, etc. that we use during fact-checking in the articles so the reader can go through the process himself. If needed or if the file can disappear or be altered we upload it directly to our website with the reference to the original source.

The project includes all key sources as an internal link into articles or present them at the end of the article or embed the document into the text. The way of showing the key sources are always clearly referenced. For example, if the reader wants to double-check the source, the provided link leads to the original article which contains the fact.  

As it is said on the "About us page" (https://factcheck.kz/o-nas/), in the footer of the website and in the end of each article Factcheck.kz is developed and supported with the help of Soros Foundation Kazakhstan. Other ways of funding including crowdfunding are discussed currently.

The applicant is the project of the media organization and information regarding the source of funding presented in two places: about us section and in the footer of the website. 

The statement in two languages informs that the project is developed and supported by Soros-Kazakhstan Foundation. 

Here is the link to the Factcheck.kz team - https://factcheck.kz/en/team/

The authors and name of the editorial team's bio are clearly listed in English. However, the applicant's link is not available in Kazakh and Russian. Readers can click on authors name and find the posts but not the biographies. 

The factcheck.kz project coordinator explained this fact with two reasons: 1) it is not safe to be publicly known as a factchecker in the country 2) Some fact-checkers work on other places and do not want to be directly associated with other projects. Some media companies doesn’t allow to work officially in two or more places.  

• in Russian - https://factcheck.kz/obratnaya-svyaz/
• in Kazakh - https://factcheck.kz/kaz/biz-turaly/obratnaya-svyaz-2/ 
• in English - https://factcheck.kz/en/feedback/

The signatory invites readers to reach out through contact form under the About us section and at the right bottom of the homepage. In both cases reader need to do an extra action to reach out.

https://factcheck.kz/kaz/biz-turaly/obratnaya-svyaz-2/ Kazakh

https://factcheck.kz/obratnaya-svyaz/ - Russian

The principles of our Truth-O-Meter can be found here in Russian - https://factcheck.kz/kak-my-opredelyaem-pravdomer/ and in Kazakh - https://factcheck.kz/kaz/tarazyny-kalaj-anyktajmyz/.  

Another section of Factcheck.kz is devoted to methodology - various tools and methods we use in our work. In Russian can be found here - https://factcheck.kz/category/metodika-fch/, in Kazakh - https://factcheck.kz/kaz/category/adisnama/.  

The methodology used by the Factcheck.kz is based on international standards and fact-checking tools. Factcheck.kz uses open sources to verify the facts and contacts official sources to request official documents to present the evidence.

In accordance with the collected evidence and the "truth-teller" criteria, the editor's office delivers a verdict and publishes it on the website together with the collected evidence.

Any person can co-participate in the project by proposing a fact for verification, as well as his version of the verification procedure and evidence base.

The Factcheck.kz reserves the right to choose the method of verification and sources of evidence.

In the case of controversial situations, the Factcheck.kz is ready to consider counter-arguments, as well as the possibility of establishing an expert working group to recheck the verdict. This statement is provided on the front page of the resource.

The Factcheck.kz can also establish a working expert group in certain cases when it is complicated to make an unambiguous verdict. 

The Factcheck.kz project is principally oriented towards the legislation of Kazakhstan, international legislation, as well as internationally recognized values and ethical norms”.

The website has a clear explanation of truth-o-meter. There is a step-by-step explanation of different fact-checking tools and methods under the methodology section in both language versions. 

• in Russian - https://factcheck.kz/obratnaya-svyaz/
• in Kazakh - https://factcheck.kz/kaz/biz-turaly/obratnaya-svyaz-2/
• in English - https://factcheck.kz/en/feedback/

The site has a section that explains to readers how to send claims and which claims can be fact-checked. 

The contact form allows to enter message and to choose between “Do you want to send us a fact to check?” and “Send us feedback about the project”. 

Our readers can participate openly in the process offering corrections and claims. For some questions we can organize a discussion with the group of independent experts. Also you can read in Russian - https://factcheck.kz/o-nas/, English version - https://goo.gl/1Hvsce

The resource has a public corrections policy. At the footer of the site editorial team clearly explains readers that in case of disagreement the verdict will be revised and additional documents will be uploaded. 

This policy is publicly available on the parent organization (medianet.kz) website as well.

During 2019 we have corrected one article on the state of judicial system in Kazakhstan and its place in world rankings. 

Article in Russian - https://factcheck.kz/glavnoe-en/faktchek-zhakip-asanov-ob-udobstve-sudov-i-kolichestve-ubijstv/

Same article in Kazakh - https://factcheck.kz/kaz/glavnoe-en/faktchek-zhakyp-asanov-sottagy-zhagdaj-zhane-adam-oltiru-kylmysy-zhajynda/ 

The applicant provides one example (in two languages) of a correction made in last year. The article shows that the verdict has been changed and explains the reason in bold, red fonts, which makes easy for readers to find.