[Translation prepared by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

21 June 2022

Biju Nair, CEO of ArcelorMittal Temirtau (AMT), declined to comment on the detention of senior employees who were arrested by the court after the death of four workers at the company's metallurgical plant in Temirtau.

“With regard to the detention of our employees, a police investigation is currently underway and, unfortunately, I cannot provide information until the investigation is completed. We are following the instructions of the police department,” said Biju Nair...on 21 of June, answering journalists’ questions at a briefing in Karaganda...

After the death of workers of the plant, a state commission was created to investigate the causes of the incident. At a briefing on 21 of June, Vadim Basin, deputy akim of the Karaganda region, stated that the accident "was not related to an accident or some kind of technological emergency."

According to the official, it was clear that this was "due to gross violations of safety regulations." This investigation, he said, is nearing completion...Also, at the briefing, the speakers informed that the workshop where the collapse occurred and people died was inactive due to the emergency condition of the floor slabs. In addition, the roof of the building was being repaired, they said at the briefing. Over the furnace, where the death of workers occurred, the roof was replaced...

After journalist Ayman Sagatay asked the deputy akim of the region whether it is necessary to change the investor, since the situation was not changing, and the number of victims continued to grow, the moderator of the briefing announced the end of the broadcast and the live broadcast stopped interrupted. The briefing itself with the offline journalists continued...