Minister of Foreign Affairs speaks at the International Conference against the Death Penalty

NUR-SULTAN, October 13, 2020 - Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi was a keynote co-speaker at the high-level Conference dedicated to the World Day against the Death Penalty and the 10th anniversary of the International Commission against the Death Penalty. The event was initiated by Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya. The keynote address was delivered by Navi Pillay, the President of the International Commission against the Death Penalty.

The main topic of the discussion was the role of international efforts in reducing the number of death sentences and the eventual abolition of the death penalty. The forum participants welcomed the decision of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, announced at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, to sign the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aimed at the abolition of the death penalty. Kazakhstan signed the document in September 2020.

 In his speech, Minister Tileuberdi expressed support for the Commission's initiative to help make Central Asia and Mongolia the first region of the world free of the death penalty. He stressed Kazakhstan's commitment to the realization of the fundamental right to life and human dignity.

The forum brought together participants of the initiative of the International Commission against the Death Penalty, Foreign Ministers, UN representatives and human rights experts from around the world.

The World Day against the Death Penalty, established by the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, has been celebrated annually on October 10 since 2003.

The International Commission against the Death Penalty was established in 2010 on the initiative of the Spanish Government. Kazakhstan is a member of the group of states supporting the Commission.