Dialogue Platform on Human Dimension under MFA of Kazakhstan Holds First Meeting in 2022

Nur-Sultan, 10 February 2022 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan held an online meeting of the Consultative and Advisory Body “Dialogue Platform on the Human Dimension”, chaired by Ambassador-at-Large Usen Suleimen.

In his welcoming speech to the participants of the meeting, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roman Vassilenko noted the beginning of 2022 was marked by unprecedented tragic events in our country. “Members of the Consultative and Advisory Body have now gathered to share their vision of what happened, to understand how at this stage the state bodies and the civil sector can jointly contribute to resolving the situation and to ensure the protection of the rights of the affected citizens of our country,” the diplomat said.

Mr. Vassilenko stressed the Kazakh government strongly condemns possible cases of disproportionate use of force, illegal detentions, torture and ill-treatment of detained citizens. Strict observance of the rights of the latter and a fair trial should be indispensable.

Considering the extraordinary subject matter of the first agenda item of the meeting, devoted to the Tragic January events, priority in reporting on this issue was given to representatives of the civil sector.

Representatives of the Public Association Qadyr-Qasiet (Dignity), the Foundation for the Development of Parliamentarism in Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law took an active part on behalf of NGOs.

According to domestic human rights defenders, the events that took place revealed significant gaps in the practice of applying legislation in the field of human rights and protection of freedoms. A number of specific recommendations were made to amend laws and various regulatory legal acts.

The second item on the agenda of the Consultative and Advisory Body’s meeting was devoted to the preparation for the defense of the national report of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Representatives of the Ministry of Information and Social Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented their reports. The Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law presented an overview analysis of possible directions for the development of anti-discrimination legislation, the creation of anti-discrimination institutions and procedures in the country.

Discussions on each agenda item were open and constructive in nature with the development of concrete proposals for further interaction between government agencies and NGOs on these issues.

Members of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Commissioner for Human Rights, representatives of the Presidential Administration, the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Council, interested ministries, Kazakhstan’s human rights NGOs, as well as international partners – the United Nations Development Program, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the OSCE, the European Union, the USAID and embassies of a number of European countries, attended the event.