ASTANA – Kazakh and international human rights officials discussed implementation of human rights protections guaranteed by Kazakhstan’s Constitution and existing laws, as well as Kazakhstan’s compliance with international standards for judicial and non-judicial human rights protections at a Dec. 8 roundtable in Astana.
Photo credit: bnews.kz
The event was devoted to Kazakhstan’s 25 years of independence and Human Rights Day and was organised by the Human Rights Commission under the President of Kazakhstan.
Secretary of State Gulshara Abdykalikova, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Human Rights Commission Kuanysh Sultanov and Kazakh Prosecutor General Zhakip Asanov chaired the event, which included Permanent Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan Norimasa Shimomura, European Union Delegation Head, Ambassador Traian Hristea, head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Programme Office in Astana Ambassador György Szabó and the local diplomatic corps.
Abdykalikova told the gathering Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev attaches great importance to relationships with human rights civil society institutions and that developing democratic institutions, mass media, human rights and citizens’ freedoms are the most important conditions for the development of independent Kazakhstan.
She also congratulated the international and domestic representatives for their cooperative human rights work and noted a human rights roundtable is relevant on the eve of Kazakhstan’s 2017-2018 membership on the UN Security Council.
The speakers also noted the importance of Nazarbayev’s 100 Concrete Steps Plan of the Nation to implement five institutional reforms and Kazakhstan’s ratification of international human rights treaties to improving the country’s human rights protections.
Asanov told the group the general prosecutor’s office has developed systematic solutions to address business protections, justice in the courts, domestic violence, alimony, land seizures, public safety, crimes against children, real estate investor protections and asset recovery.
“The general prosecution office’s main options are set to address important and sensitive issues of individuals and society. On the other hand, without taking adequate measures to the modern threats, we cannot ensure security and social harmony. This would be considered a crackdown on independence. Therefore, we are obliged to respond to the potential threats in the name of rights, freedoms and the interests of our citizens,” Asanov said.
“Today, terrorism is a global threat. In 2014, terrorists killed 32,000 people. They destroy nations, cultural heritage and erase the memory of it. There are millions of refugees. Human trafficking, illegal migration, sexual slavery, traffic of arms and drugs are going strong into destroyed states,” he added.
Asanov suggested creating the slogan “Each and every one against terrorism” to go along with the Dec. 10 international Human Rights Day.
The international and national experts gave a positive assessment of the development of human rights mechanisms in Kazakhstan.
