Abstract
2019 has shocked the world with the disease COVID-19. The fight against thecoronavirus, which was granted the status of «pandemic» by the decision of the World HealthOrganization continues. Kazakhstan has taken timely measures to protect its citizens inconnection with the spread of the pandemic. The legitimacy, nature, and proportionality of thesemeasures are reflected in this article.Kazakhstan declared a state of emergency on March 16, 2020, severely restricting the freemovement of citizens and other basic freedoms as a response to the pandemic. Restrictions onquarantine made it difficult to disseminate information openly and unhindered. In particular, thework of journalists was obstructed. The author considers the problem of editorial independence asan important part of the professionalism of journalists in terms of foreign concepts. The authoranalyzes the contradictions between the normative approach to understanding the reality of themedia market during the pandemic of freedom of speech.