A panel session on «Crucial role of the NPM in addressing torture and other forms of ill-treatment in Kazakhstan» was held in Geneva

         The National Centre for Human Rights, with the support of the UNDP and OSCE organized an event in the format of a panel discussion at the Palais des Nations in Geneva as part of Kazakhstan's forthcoming defense of the fourth periodic report against torture to the UN Committee against Torture.

         Representatives of UN member states were invited to participate in the event.

         Ombudsman Artur Lastayev, members of the NPM Coordination Council, civil society activist Shakhnoza Khasanova and human rights lawyer Berik Zhakaev, GANHRI Human Rights Officer Caroline Crittin moderated the discussion and Yesimova Dinara, NPM member in Astana and head of the National Alliance of Social Workers.

         During the panel discussion it was noted that the fight against torture requires an active commitment of the states, which includes, among other things, adoption of legal instruments of the UN to prevent torture and their effective implementation, in particular the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), and creation of national mechanisms for the prevention of torture.

         Kazakhstan's National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), established in 2013 as an independent institution with a broad mandate to promote and protect human rights, plays a crucial role in combating and contributing to the prevention of torture and other forms of ill-treatment. The NPM is coordinated by the Commissioner and consists of regular, unannounced visits to the administrations of institutions and confidential visits to places where people are isolated from society to monitor the observance of their rights and freedoms.

         Opening the discussion, Ombudsman for Human Rights Artur Lastayev informed international colleagues about the key measures taken by the NPM office to address the problem of torture in the country, the recently adopted amendments to the legislation aimed at increasing the punishment for torture and prosecution for cruel or degrading treatment, as well as plans for further improvement of legislation in accordance with international human rights norms and standards and his

         At the end of the meeting, the remaining speakers (NPM participants) moved on to highlight the main part of the discussion - the practical work of NPMs in visiting places of detention, what difficulties they face during these visits and how these issues are resolved, the role of NPMs in protecting the rights of women, children and the disabled in Kazakhstan, improving the types and forms of preventive visits, the need for a separate law on the national preventive mechanism.

         The event allowed to exchange views on topical issues and outline steps for further joint work in the field of strengthening the system of human rights protection and the rule of law in Kazakhstan.