OSCE welcomes Kazakhstan's intention to strengthen legal safeguards for persons involved in criminal process

ASTANA. November 10. KAZINFORM /Murat Zhakeyev/ Strengthening the protection of human rights in pre-trial stages of criminal proceedings was the theme of the roundtable held on Thursday in the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan.

The aim was to discuss and develop recommendations on reforming the criminal-procedural legislation of Kazakhstan, expansion of judicial review at the pretrial stage and improving the arrest authorizing institution in Kazakhstan.

"Ensuring human rights in the pre-trial stages of proceedings together with the reform of the role of courts and investigative authorities are one of the most important tasks in the field of criminal justice. The OSCE welcomes Kazakhstan's intention to strengthen the legal safeguards for persons involved in the criminal process, and hopes that these steps will contribute to the further implementation of Kazakhstan's commitments to its international obligations," said Jeannette Kloetzer, the Acting Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana.

In general, participants discussed more than 80 detailed recommendations on improving the criminal-procedural legislation of Kazakhstan, judicial review and authorization of arrest.

The discussion was attended by judges of the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, international experts, representatives of the Kazakh Prosecutor General, international and nongovernmental organizations.