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Human Rights Council – Universal Periodic Review

For use of information media; not an official record

Date: Friday 12 February (morning)

Country under review: KAZAKHSTAN

Concerned country - national report

  • Represented by a 24-person delegation and headed by the Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Yerbol Orynbayev
  • National report presented by H.E. Mr. Yerbol Orynbayev

Highlights

  • Action Plan to eradicate torture by 2013.
  • Indefinite moratorium on executions until full abolition of the death penalty.
  • People with incomes below the poverty line dropped from 50 to 12 percent over the past ten years.
  • Women make up 40 percent of all small and medium entrepreneurs.
  • Committed to have women in at least 30 percent of all elected and appointed posts by 2016.
  • Increased public spending on education. Built 650 new schools.
  • Strengthening of social and economic protection of persons with disabilities.
  • Standing invitation to all Human Rights Council’s special procedures.
  • Elected to the 2010 Chairmanship-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Interactive discussion

Number of States taking part in the interactive discussion

  • Member States: 25
  • Observer States: 29

Positive achievements

  • Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence.
  • National Human Rights Action Plan for 2009-2012.
  • Introduction of jury trials.
  • Adoption of a gender equality strategy.
  • Visit of the Special Rapporteur on torture.
  • Ratification of various international human rights treaties, including the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Issues and questions raised

  • Cases of torture, inter alia by the police force.
  • Child labour.
  • Discrimination against women, sexual harassment in the work place and trafficking.
  • Freedom of expression for media, in particular internet media.
  • Independence of the judiciary.
  • Corruption.
  • Quality of education and inclusion of disabled children.
  • Religious minorities.
  • Expulsion of refugees and asylum seekers.

Recommendations

  • Establish an independent mechanism to prevent and investigate cases of torture.
  • Investigate and prosecute violations of the rights of human rights defenders and journalists.
  • Strengthen independence of the judiciary and impartiality of court processes.
  • Enact comprehensive laws to address trafficking of women.
  • Increase women participation in the decision-making process.
  • Review the legislation on media, in particular on criminal libel and access to internet.
  • Enhance the protection of children.
  • Abolish death penalty.
  • Ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
  • Ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.

Response of the concerned country

  • Rights of children – Awareness-raising and educational campaign to prevent stigmatization of children with HIV infection. Interministerial commission to address the problem of crime involving children and take initiatives to protect homeless children.
  • Freedom of expression – Constitution prohibits censorship and legislation on the media was recently liberalized. Limitation of information provided on the internet directed against illegal information, e.g. racial discrimination.
  • Religious freedom – Protected by the Constitution and the criminal code.
  • Human trafficking – Criminal provisions and training of police force to combat trafficking.

Adoption of the report by the UPR working group scheduled on
Tuesday 16 February, 12:00 – 12:30

More information