OSCE ODIHR Human Dimension meeting takes place in Warsaw

The annual Meeting of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE ODIHR) is taking place in the capital of Poland.

During the first week of the forum, participants discussed freedom of expression, freedom of the media and information, the safety of journalists, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and religious freedom. The agenda also included the holding of democratic elections, the functioning of democratic institutions, gender equality, measures to combat violence against women, and human trafficking.

The Republic of Kazakhstan’s delegation is actively participating in the meeting. The delegation consists of representatives of the Commission on Human Rights under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (HRC), the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Information and Social Development, and Internal Affairs, the Central Election Commission, the National Center for Human Rights, and the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Speaking at the session on democratic elections, a member of the Kazakh Central Election Commission, Z. Baimoldina, noted that Kazakhstan has been fulfilling all its OSCE commitments in terms of conducting democratic election campaigns. It was emphasized that for effective cooperation with OSCE participating states and the elimination of suspicion regarding politicization, the OSCE/ODIHR Missions need to provide specific cases of violations and detailed recommendations.

Secretary of the Human Rights Committee T. Abishev recommended that OSCE participating states use the experience of the Human Rights Commission and the “Dialogue platform on the human dimension” consultative and advisory body (CAB) at the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs to establish dialogue and interaction between the authorities and civil society. The activities of the HRC were presented, including training seminars on regional human rights mechanisms, as well as projects to protect the rights of returnees, stateless persons, refugees, migrant workers and victims of trafficking. In addition, Mr. Abishev urged representatives of the civil society of Kazakhstan to take an active part in improving the country’s electoral legislation.

The representative of the Information Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Information and Social Development, M. Komissarov, highlighted the measures being taken to modernize the domestic media sector, develop strong and competitive media, and facilitate dialogue between the state, media, and society. It was noted that work is currently underway on a new draft Law “on Amendments to Legislative Acts on Information”, that will further strengthen the mechanisms for protecting the rights of citizens in the information sphere, and increase the transparency of state bodies and harmonious development of the national information space.

The head of the NCHR S. Ospanov informed the participants about the steps being taken to strengthen the institution of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan, and about its key areas of activity, in particular, as the coordinator of the national preventive mechanism to combat torture.

At the session on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the representative of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, A. Sargazin, emphasized that the issue of improving the Law “On the procedure for organizing and conducting peaceful meetings, rallies, marches, pickets and demonstrations in the Republic of Kazakhstan” is currently being considered at the initiative of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, as voiced by him in the Address to the People of Kazakhstan on September 2 of this year. Regarding freedom of association, it was noted that work has begun on the development of a draft law on the activities of non-profit organizations.

The representative of the MISD’s Religious Affairs Committee, N. Shubayev, emphasized the openness of the Kazakh side to a constructive dialogue on religious freedom and human rights, as evidenced by active state consultations with religious associations and NGOs, including within the framework of the Council for Relations with Religious Associations under the MISD. The meeting participants were also informed about the holding of the 18th meeting of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in September of this year in Nur-Sultan.

Representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan V. Yatsenko highlighted the key steps the state had taken in ensuring gender equality, preventing and combating violence against women and human trafficking.

The two-week event will end on September 27, 2019, with summaries of the meeting and speeches by the heads of the OSCE institutions.