A MEETING OF THE COORDINATING COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM AGAINST TORTURE WAS HELD UNDER THE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

On December 24, 2021, under the chairmanship of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan Elvira Azimova, a meeting of the Coordinating Council of the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture (NPM) was held on the implementation of the recommendations of the NPM participants, preparation of a Consolidated report on the results of preventive visits in 2021, approval of the plan of preventive visits for 2022.

During the meeting, representatives of the National Security Committee, the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Defense, Health, Labor and Social Protection of the population, Education and Science reported on the implementation of the recommendations of the NPM participants based on the results of preventive visits in 2019-2020.

The meeting participants noted the support of the Head of State for a number of initiatives of the members of the Coordinating Council of the NPM, as well as the measures are taken to implement them, in particular, to strengthen and expand the powers of the Commissioner for Human Rights, to ensure the human right to health protection and independent medical assessment of the state of health of convicted and remand-arrested citizens, the introduction of continuous video surveillance in penal institutions and special premises in order to eliminate "blind spots" and prevent torture.

In addition, the joint work of the Ombudsman, members of the Korsovet, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs were noted to ensure maximum employment of convicts by expanding production volumes, which will allow convicts to develop their labor skills necessary for further re-socialization, earn money to repay claims and damages to victims, and help the family; according to the implementation of a number of previously unsettled provisions of the Nelson Mandela Rules into by-laws. For example, the draft provides for the specifics of the detention of convicted persons with disabilities, in particular, wheelchairs, crutches, and other life support supplies will be excluded from the general list of items necessary to carry with you; for those sentenced to life imprisonment, the specifics of the organization of work and the provision of visits are provided, the standards for the inspection of persons and available hand luggage arriving on dates will now be publicly available, the rules of conduct of convicted persons are clarified for their uniform application in certain situations.

Representatives of the central state bodies answered questions from members of the Coordinating Council and participants of the NPM, including on the identified signs of ill-treatment degrading the honor and dignity of service recipients in certain medical and social institutions.

Following the meeting, a number of proposals were developed for joint work in the coming year in the field of ensuring human rights in the field of the penal enforcement system, providing special social services, ensuring the best interests of the child.