The Commissioner for Human Rights of Kazakhstan Met with Representatives of the Swiss Foreign Ministry

Bern, April 20, 2022 – The Commissioner for Human Rights of Kazakhstan Elvira Azimova held talks at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Swiss Confederation.

During the meeting Azimova in detail informed to the Swiss partners with the activities of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights and the work of the National Preventive Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture. The Swiss side paid special attention to the work of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the protection of the rights and interests of detainees during the riots in Kazakhstan in early January 2022.

Elvira Azimova noted that in this difficult period the operational work of human rights defenders was ensured with the full support of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Also, she presented the implementation of Head of State’s systematic political reforms to strengthen human rights and democracy in Kazakhstan. The lowering of the threshold for political parties to enter the Majilis, the introduction of a 30% quota in the distribution of parliamentary mandates for women, youth and persons with disabilities, as well as the expansion of the powers of the Ombudsman for Human Rights are confirmation of the political will of the country's leadership aimed at further democratic transformations.

The State-of-the-Nation Address by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dated March 16, 2022 "New Kazakhstan: The Path of renewal and Modernization" received special coverage. Azimova spoke in detail about 10 initiatives of the President of Kazakhstan aimed at the political and social modernization of the state.

During the meeting, the parties discussed issues of gender equality, compliance with standards of treatment of prisoners and agreed to consider the possibilities of mutual assistance in the implementation of projects to prevent torture.

The parties noted with satisfaction the completion of a joint technical project on combating torture, and also agreed on the implementation of the next project with the participation of Switzerland.

In general, the topics of the meeting aroused the keen interest of the Swiss side, which in turn welcomed the reforms carried out in Kazakhstan and the innovations introduced in the field of human rights and freedoms protection.