Young women and girls in Kazakhstan share their stories of trafficking, exploitation and violence and how connection and compassion is helping them to raise their voices and show leadership.

The fourth in a series of five OSCE-supported training seminars for women entrepreneurs working in the field of green technology started on 29 July 2016 in Arnasai village, Central Kazakhstan.

The training seminar, organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in close co-operation with the Coalition for Green Economy and G-Global Development brought together some 20 participants from rural areas of the Central Kazakhstan region to raise their awareness on the use of modern green technologies in effective horticulture, such as energy and water-saving methods, drip irrigation, solar greenhouses and vermicultivation.

“We believe that the role of women in promoting green businesses in the rural areas is crucial and enormous. This is due to the fact that most of them are involved in agriculture and household management activities, which nowadays remain one of the few opportunities to support the family and community in remote regions,” said György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “Thus, the Office stands ready to provide its continuous expert support to such initiatives aiming at better information- and technology-sharing.”

The event is part of the Office’s multi-year efforts to promote green growth, environmental security and women’s empowerment in economic activities.

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An OSCE Programme Office in Astana-supported workshop on international best practices in irregular migration management and readmission procedures for 10 Internal Affairs Ministry and National Security Committee officials started on 6 June 2016 in Astana.

The three-day event was organized by the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Latvia’s State Border Guard. It focused on national legislation and best international practices in dealing with vulnerable groups of migrants passing through borders.

An Office-supported legal analysis of readmission policies was presented along with a draft bylaw to participants who brainstormed ways to further develop the legal and institutional framework. Participants also engaged in an in-depth discussion on readmission as well as countering trafficking of human beings. As a result of the discussions, the participants developed a set of recommendations on amendments to relevant national legislation in line with international best practices.

The workshop is a part of the OSCE Programme Office’s activities related to enhancing the host country’s border security and efficient labour migration management practices.

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 22 June 2016 – An OSCE-supported train-the-trainer regional course on document security for some 20 border guards from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan began today in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The three-day event is organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA).

Experts from Latvia and Slovakia will share best practices in international document security, including the identification of falsified travel documents, document control, the use of paper and polymer substrates in document security, conventional printing techniques, photo protection, secondary verification, and profiling techniques to identify potential criminals during the border crossing check-up procedure. The participants will also have an opportunity to work with genuine and falsified travel documents from different countries in order to utilize the new methods learned in the course.

“In order to protect a country’s borders, it is crucial to know what verification methods are used in all travel documents and the common features of forged documents,” said Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “This is best done through consistent familiarization on relevant technology and regular exchange of information and experience with other relevant authorities,”

Gunta Laganovska, a trainer at the seminar and Chief of the Expert Service, Central Department of the State Border Service for the Republic of Latvia, said: “International co-operation between border services is a crucial part of a system to prevent illegal migration. The exchange of information and experience in identifying forged documents enables the growth of the professionalism of all participants in this seminar. The train-the-trainers approach allows for the possibility to transfer new skills to a large number of border guards where they work.”

The seminar is part of the Office’s long-standing efforts to promote the OSCE border security concept and counter transnational crime in the host country.

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Prime Aviation was founded in December of 2005 and is the leader in providing VIP prime services and business aviation in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Company primary purpose is to provide the highest level of aviation service based on the principles and standards of the EU. Contact Us: +7 (727) 355 66 44 sales@primeaviation.kz More about us

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Liya Zaurbekova, a young woman who escaped from her family in Chechnya and took refuge from her relatives in the police department in Moscow, left Russia, the woman's lawyer Natalia Tikhonova said adding that she could not disclose any other details for her client's safety. Adam Delimkhanov, an associate of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, believes that Zaurbekova will be returned to her family in the republic. In turn, Alexander Ionov, a member of the Human Rights Council under the President of Russia, who reported her escape, urged not to exaggerate the degree of the threat for the Chechen woman who left her home due to mental and physical violence. Adam Delimkhanov, Kadyrov's adviser and State Duma deputy, believes that Liya Zaurbekova was misled after she found herself under someone's influence. The girl is being manipulated, Delimkhanov believes.

Former McDonald's restaurants in Kazakhstan have changed signs yet again. "We're Open" signs have been replaced with new "I am…" signs that contain proper names (in Kazakh language). For example, the signs of a restaurant in the city of Alma-Ata says "I am Madiyar." Other restaurants were called "I am Daniyar," I am Yulia," "I am Aray," I am Alexander," etc. Food Solutions KZ restaurant management company confirmed that the signs of former McDonald's restaurants were changed in six cities.

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Bridges make travel faster and more convenient, but, in an earthquake, these structures are subject to forces that can cause extensive damage and make them unsafe. Now civil and environmental engineer Petros Sideris of Texas A&M University is leading a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded research project to investigate the performance of hybrid sliding-rocking (HSR) columns. HSR columns provide the same support as conventional bridge infrastructure columns but are more earthquake-resistant. HSR columns are a series of individual concrete segments held together by steel cables that allow for controlled sliding and rocking. This allows the columns to shift without damage, while post-tensioning strands ensure that at the end of an earthquake the columns are pushed back to their original position. Conventional bridges are cast-in-place monolithic concrete elements that are strong but inflexible. Structural damage in these bridge columns, typically caused by a natural disaster, often forces a bridge to close until repairs are completed. But bridges with HSR columns can withstand large earthquakes with minimal damage and require minor repairs, likely without bridge closures. Such infrastructure helps with post-disaster response and recovery and can save thousands in taxpayer dollars. In an earthquake, HSR columns provide "multiple advantages to the public," Sideris said. "By preventing bridge damage, we can maintain access to affected areas immediately after an event for response teams to be easily deployed, and help affected communities recover faster. In mitigating losses related to post-event bridge repairs and bridge closures, more funds can be potentially directed to supporting the recovery of the affected communities." According to Joy Pauschke, NSF program director for natural hazards engineering, "NSF invests in fundamental engineering research so that, in the future, the nation's infrastructure can be more resilient to earthquakes, hurricanes, and other forces of nature."

Image credit: Texas A&M University

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The OSCE Programme Office in Astana concluded a series of two-day training seminars for some 100 members of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) against Torture on 2 August 2016 in Aktobe, Western Kazakhstan.

From May to August 2016, participants were trained in Pavlodar, Almaty, Astana and Aktobe on practical aspects of the NPM’s implementation.

The training seminars aimed at increasing the transparency and effectiveness of the Mechanism in monitoring, reporting and conducting preventive visits at detention facilities. National experts discussed with the NPM members the working procedures and methodology, challenges in fulfilling human rights obligations and ethical aspects in line with national and international anti-torture standards. Special emphasis was placed on the necessary co-operation between NPM and the law-enforcement sector.

The set of seminars was organized in partnership with the Ombudsman’s Office of Kazakhstan and the Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and is part of the Office’s long-standing commitment to reinforce the NPM and promote the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture.

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• OSCE promotes ‘green’ women’s entrepreneurship in rural areas of Kazakhstan
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The fourth in a series of five OSCE-supported training seminars for women entrepreneurs working in the field of green technology started on 29 July 2016 in Arnasai village, Central Kazakhstan.

The training seminar, organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in close co-operation with the Coalition for Green Economy and G-Global Development brought together some 20 participants from rural areas of the Central Kazakhstan region to raise their awareness on the use of modern green technologies in effective horticulture, such as energy and water-saving methods, drip irrigation, solar greenhouses and vermicultivation.

“We believe that the role of women in promoting green businesses in the rural areas is crucial and enormous. This is due to the fact that most of them are involved in agriculture and household management activities, which nowadays remain one of the few opportunities to support the family and community in remote regions,” said György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “Thus, the Office stands ready to provide its continuous expert support to such initiatives aiming at better information- and technology-sharing.”

The event is part of the Office’s multi-year efforts to promote green growth, environmental security and women’s empowerment in economic activities.

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• OSCE supports water co-operation in southern Kazakhstan
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Some 35 law-enforcement officers and social workers took part in the first in a series of five training seminars on anti-trafficking practices and procedures on 22 July 2016 in Kostanay with other workshops to be conducted in Almaty, Astana, Karaganda and Shymkent later this year.

The seminar focused on the criteria and standards for assisting victims of human trafficking, relevant national and international legislation, ways in which social exclusion and disenfranchisement make people vulnerable to trafficking, as well as re-socialization and compensation for survivors.

The series is co-organized by the Programme Office, in co-operation with the Health Care and Social Development and Interior Ministries as well as the US Embassy to Kazakhstan.  Representatives of the Akimat (regional administration) and Prosecutor’s Office also attended.   

The initiative is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year efforts to raise awareness and build the capacity of law-enforcement institutions and civil society in the field of anti-trafficking, in line with the host country’s commitments under international treaties.

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Some 70 representatives of akimats (municipalities) in villages of Kazakhstan’s Tselinograd District’s met on 27 May 2016 in Akmol, Akmola region, to discuss the ongoing local self-governance reform and brainstormed on how to further develop the legal and institutional framework.

The event participants reviewed economic and financial aspects of local self-governance, administrative offences proceedings, public procurement, state property management as well as community involvement in the decision-making process at the local level.

The training seminar was supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the National Economy Ministry. The event is part of the Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to promote good governance and democratization in Kazakhstan. 

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Some 40 national experts took part in a meeting organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the Charter for Human Rights Public Foundation in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 13 July 2016, on implementing human rights recommendations from UN bodies.

Having reviewed and analysed the recommendations, participants drafted a set of performance indicators to ensure a consistent assessment methodology.

There was particular attention on the mandate of national human rights institutions, fundamental freedoms, reported cases of torture and the principle of non-discrimination. A set of recommendations to relevant institutions will be developed as a result of the event.

The event was held as part of a project on supporting the development of human rights indicators and improving performance assessments of how international standards are implemented in the country.

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ASTANA, 14 July 2016 – The introduction of the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) in Kazakhstan was the focus of a roundtable discussion organized in Astana today by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in partnership with the Energy Ministry’s Information and Analytical Centre of Environment Protection and the UN Development Programme in Kazakhstan.

Some 80 representatives of the Aarhus Centres, regional and central government entities, environmental NGOs and private sector focused on recent changes in national environmental legislation, guiding rules in implementing PRTR, international best practices and the role of the Aarhus Centres in promoting PRTR in the regions.

Joldasov Zulfuhar, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee of Environmental Regulation, Control and State Inspection in the oil and gas sector of Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry, said:  “Taking into account that environmental damage impacts all spheres of life, a state register of pollutant release and transfer is particularly relevant. We are convinced of the need to co-operate with all interested parties and consolidate our efforts in addressing the emerging issues in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development.”

Mirco Guenther, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, said: "PRTR management can lead to a significant reduction in environmental and social risks to promote a constructive dialogue between interested parties, as well as to achieve a balance of interests and protection of environmental rights of citizens. The OSCE Programme Office in Astana stands ready to support Kazakhstan’s initiative to comply fully with all their obligations under the Aarhus Convention."

The PRTR Protocol was adopted in 2003, in Kyiv, Ukraine and is a legally binding instrument that requires parties to establish publicly accessible registers containing information on the release and transfer of pollutants.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s longstanding efforts in promoting the international standards of the Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan.

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The OSCE Programme Office in Astana supported a national public hearing on combatting torture in the penal system, organized by the Public Council under the Interior Ministry in Astana, Kazakhstan on 15 July 2016.

Some 70 officials including the Deputy Interior Minister, officers from Correctional System Departments in the regions, the Chairperson of the National Bar Association, representatives of the National Centre for Human Rights, the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture, the NGO Coalition against Torture and international organizations as well as international experts and journalists examined the current status of detention facilities managed by the Criminal Executive Committee of the Interior Ministry. Particular attention was paid to the provision of medical services and their standards. Some reported cases of torture and inhumane treatment at those premises were also reviewed and discussed. Some 150 officials from around the country participated via conference call.

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana has actively contributed to the preparation of the Law on Public Councils and on Access to Information through the support of numerous expert and public discussions as well as working groups. The Office also facilitated the legal analysis of bills in various stages of development.

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A roundtable discussion on the implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan took place in Astana on 15 July 2016.

Some 60 representatives of the Aarhus Centres, regional and central government entities, environmental non-governmental organizations and private sector discussed the ways to improve Kazakhstan’s compliance with its obligations under the Aarhus Convention.

They reviewed the ongoing activities in promoting its principles in the regions as well as new amendments to the national environmental legislation. They also examined the draft Aarhus Convention implementation report for 2014-2016 and exchanged opinions on its further enhancement.

The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in partnership with the Energy Ministry’s Information and Analytical Centre of Environment Protection.

The 1998 Aarhus Convention consists of three pillars: access to information, public participation in environmental decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters. Aarhus Centres provide platforms to engage citizens, governments and the private sector in a dialogue on environmental challenges.

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ASTANA, 21 July 2016 – Some 25 Supreme and Regional Court judges, lawyers, journalists, media experts as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps and civil society today in Astana participated in OSCE-supported public hearings on the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan’s Decree on the “Application of legislation on protecting the honour, dignity and business reputation in judicial practice”.

Participants reviewed current legal precedents on defamation-related cases, discussed national legislation and its compliance with international standards as well as recommendations to the Supreme Court’s draft decree.    

 “The OSCE advocates for the full decriminalization of defamation and the fair consideration of such cases in dispute-resolution bodies or civil courts,” said Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “This is crucial to promoting freedom of the media, to effectively expose and fight corruption, and to eliminate the excessive protection of senior officials from legitimate public criticism.”

Bolat Kalyanbekov, Head of the Information Support Division of the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, said: "Today's public hearings create a precedent for additional expert understanding of regulatory decrees. This is a relatively new format for meetings and it allows us all to hear expert opinions and conclusions on the issue, as well as to receive comprehensive recommendations on it.”

The event was supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the US Agency for International Development, the Eurasia Foundation for Central Asia and the International Fund for the Protection of the Freedom of Speech Adil Soz. It is part of the Office’s activities aimed at promoting media freedom and freedom of expression in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

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Some 35 law-enforcement officers and social workers took part in the first in a series of five training seminars on anti-trafficking practices and procedures on 22 July 2016 in Kostanay with other workshops to be conducted in Almaty, Astana, Karaganda and Shymkent later this year.

The seminar focused on the criteria and standards for assisting victims of human trafficking, relevant national and international legislation, ways in which social exclusion and disenfranchisement make people vulnerable to trafficking, as well as re-socialization and compensation for survivors.

The series is co-organized by the Programme Office, in co-operation with the Health Care and Social Development and Interior Ministries as well as the US Embassy to Kazakhstan.  Representatives of the Akimat (regional administration) and Prosecutor’s Office also attended.   

The initiative is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year efforts to raise awareness and build the capacity of law-enforcement institutions and civil society in the field of anti-trafficking, in line with the host country’s commitments under international treaties.

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ASTANA, 22 July 2016 – An OSCE-supported two-day training seminar for some 30 defence lawyers from the northern part of Kazakhstan began today in Astana, with the aim of enhancing their understanding, common interpretation and implementation of the new criminal procedure legislation.

The event is organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the National Bar Association and the Almaty Bar Association for lawyers from the Akmola region, Pavlodar, Kostanay, Karaganda and Petropavlovsk.

Presentations will focus on new approaches and methods of legal protection, the legal institute of investigative judges in criminal proceedings, international guarantees for lawyers’ legal security, collection of evidence, and the questioning of witnesses. The interaction of lawyers with citizens, officials conducting criminal proceedings, the media and social networks will also be discussed.

“It is of utmost importance to ensure adequate conditions for the training of judges, prosecutors and lawyers as the equal actors of the lawsuit,” said Ambassador György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “The Bar, as an independent institution, is responsible for ensuring the professional development of defence lawyers. As demonstrated by the current training, the OSCE stands ready to support efforts in this direction”

Kadirzhan Baimukhanova, Deputy Head of the Republican Bar Association, said: "In the current conditions of rapidly developing legislation, such training seminars on the legislative novelties are crucial in ensuring the high professionalism of defence lawyers."

Other topics covered by the training course are new information technologies, e-government, relevant ethical and professional requirements as well as national and international standards and best practices.

The seminar is the first in a series of four planned for this autumn. Future events will take place in Almaty, Aktobe and Ust-Kamenogorsk. The series is part of the Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to strengthen the rule of law and support judicial reform in the host country.

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The OSCE-supported eleventh meeting of the Chu-Talas Water Basin Council took place on 28 July in Taraz, southern Kazakhstan.

The event was co-organized by the Office in close co-operation with the Water Resource Committee of the Agriculture Ministry, the Chu-Talas Water Basin Council, the Zhambyl local administration and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC). Some 15 representatives of regional water authorities, business organizations and civil society discussed the gaps and needs in water quality improvement, distribution and saving in the Zhambyl region.

National experts from CAREC informed participants about the latest technologies and reforms in applying best practices in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and presented a plan for efficient basin planning in line with international standards. The meeting also helped to raise public awareness and increase access to information related to the activities of the Chu-Talas Water Basin Council.

The event is part of the Office’s long-standing efforts to raise awareness and build capacity of state institutions in the area of water governance.

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The fourth in a series of five OSCE-supported training seminars for women entrepreneurs working in the field of green technology started on 29 July 2016 in Arnasai village, Central Kazakhstan.

The training seminar, organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in close co-operation with the Coalition for Green Economy and G-Global Development brought together some 20 participants from rural areas of the Central Kazakhstan region to raise their awareness on the use of modern green technologies in effective horticulture, such as energy and water-saving methods, drip irrigation, solar greenhouses and vermicultivation.

“We believe that the role of women in promoting green businesses in the rural areas is crucial and enormous. This is due to the fact that most of them are involved in agriculture and household management activities, which nowadays remain one of the few opportunities to support the family and community in remote regions,” said György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “Thus, the Office stands ready to provide its continuous expert support to such initiatives aiming at better information- and technology-sharing.”

The event is part of the Office’s multi-year efforts to promote green growth, environmental security and women’s empowerment in economic activities.

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The OSCE Programme Office in Astana concluded a series of two-day training seminars for some 100 members of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) against Torture on 2 August 2016 in Aktobe, Western Kazakhstan.

From May to August 2016, participants were trained in Pavlodar, Almaty, Astana and Aktobe on practical aspects of the NPM’s implementation.

The training seminars aimed at increasing the transparency and effectiveness of the Mechanism in monitoring, reporting and conducting preventive visits at detention facilities. National experts discussed with the NPM members the working procedures and methodology, challenges in fulfilling human rights obligations and ethical aspects in line with national and international anti-torture standards. Special emphasis was placed on the necessary co-operation between NPM and the law-enforcement sector.

The set of seminars was organized in partnership with the Ombudsman’s Office of Kazakhstan and the Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and is part of the Office’s long-standing commitment to reinforce the NPM and promote the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture.

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PAVLODAR, Kazakhstan, 12 July 2016 – An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on public participation mechanisms in environmental decision-making took place today in Pavlodar for some 25 representatives of the national and local government offices, the private sector, civil society and academia.

The event concludes the project on the environmental decision-making process and raising awareness of the Aarhus Convention’s provisions supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and implemented in partnership with the Pavlodar Aarhus Centre.

The participants discussed challenges in accessing environmental information and finding ways to promote more effective implementation of the Aarhus Convention. They also reviewed project results and research findings and developed follow-up recommendations to be considered by the relevant authorities.

“Considering the importance of the role of state agencies in the development of public participation in decision-making and seeking to improve this process, I consider the work of the roundtable discussion to be highly important,” stated Aigerim Kabyltayeva, Deputy Head of the Division on Subsoil Use Management, Environment and Water Resources of the Pavlodar region.

Colin McCullough, Political Officer of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, noted that public participation contributes to a transparent and open process and improves the quality of decisions. “We hope that today's event will strengthen co-operation between all parties in addressing environmental issues in the region and will help to better understand the need to develop joint approaches to solve them,” he said.

The event is part of the OSCE Programme Office’s efforts at promoting good governance and environmental protection. It complements the host government’s plans to improve compliance with the provisions of the Aarhus Convention and to implement the related Maastricht Recommendations on Public Participation in Decision-making in Environmental Matters.

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ASTANA, 14 July 2016 – The introduction of the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) in Kazakhstan was the focus of a roundtable discussion organized in Astana today by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in partnership with the Energy Ministry’s Information and Analytical Centre of Environment Protection and the UN Development Programme in Kazakhstan.

Some 80 representatives of the Aarhus Centres, regional and central government entities, environmental NGOs and private sector focused on recent changes in national environmental legislation, guiding rules in implementing PRTR, international best practices and the role of the Aarhus Centres in promoting PRTR in the regions.

Joldasov Zulfuhar, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee of Environmental Regulation, Control and State Inspection in the oil and gas sector of Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry, said:  “Taking into account that environmental damage impacts all spheres of life, a state register of pollutant release and transfer is particularly relevant. We are convinced of the need to co-operate with all interested parties and consolidate our efforts in addressing the emerging issues in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development.”

Mirco Guenther, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, said: "PRTR management can lead to a significant reduction in environmental and social risks to promote a constructive dialogue between interested parties, as well as to achieve a balance of interests and protection of environmental rights of citizens. The OSCE Programme Office in Astana stands ready to support Kazakhstan’s initiative to comply fully with all their obligations under the Aarhus Convention."

The PRTR Protocol was adopted in 2003, in Kyiv, Ukraine and is a legally binding instrument that requires parties to establish publicly accessible registers containing information on the release and transfer of pollutants.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s longstanding efforts in promoting the international standards of the Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan.

Related Stories

• OSCE supports water co-operation in southern Kazakhstan
• OSCE Programme Office supports training for defence lawyers in Kazakhstan on the new criminal procedure legislation
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A roundtable discussion on the implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan took place in Astana on 15 July 2016.

Some 60 representatives of the Aarhus Centres, regional and central government entities, environmental non-governmental organizations and private sector discussed the ways to improve Kazakhstan’s compliance with its obligations under the Aarhus Convention.

They reviewed the ongoing activities in promoting its principles in the regions as well as new amendments to the national environmental legislation. They also examined the draft Aarhus Convention implementation report for 2014-2016 and exchanged opinions on its further enhancement.

The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in partnership with the Energy Ministry’s Information and Analytical Centre of Environment Protection.

The 1998 Aarhus Convention consists of three pillars: access to information, public participation in environmental decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters. Aarhus Centres provide platforms to engage citizens, governments and the private sector in a dialogue on environmental challenges.

Related Stories

• OSCE supports water co-operation in southern Kazakhstan
• OSCE promotes ‘green’ women’s entrepreneurship in rural areas of Kazakhstan
• OSCE launches series of anti-trafficking seminars for law-enforcement officers and social workers across Kazakhstan

The OSCE-supported eleventh meeting of the Chu-Talas Water Basin Council took place on 28 July in Taraz, southern Kazakhstan.

The event was co-organized by the Office in close co-operation with the Water Resource Committee of the Agriculture Ministry, the Chu-Talas Water Basin Council, the Zhambyl local administration and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC). Some 15 representatives of regional water authorities, business organizations and civil society discussed the gaps and needs in water quality improvement, distribution and saving in the Zhambyl region.

National experts from CAREC informed participants about the latest technologies and reforms in applying best practices in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and presented a plan for efficient basin planning in line with international standards. The meeting also helped to raise public awareness and increase access to information related to the activities of the Chu-Talas Water Basin Council.

The event is part of the Office’s long-standing efforts to raise awareness and build capacity of state institutions in the area of water governance.

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ASTANA, 20 June 2016 – An OSCE-supported training seminar for some 30 prosecutors and defence lawyers from different regions of Kazakhstan on plea bargaining and the role of procedural prosecutors in criminal procedure began today in Astana.

During the three-day seminar the participants will learn about issues related to the interpretation and application of the Criminal Procedure Code’s relevant provisions by legal professionals. International experts from the United States and Ukraine will familiarize participants with best practices in using plea bargaining in criminal proceedings and the role of prosecutors in preliminary investigation. Intensive discussions and mock exercises are planned to enhance comprehension and practical skills.

The recent introduction of the concepts of plea bargaining and procedural prosecutors into the new Code aims to simplify criminal procedure and contribute to the development of a more effective and cost-efficient criminal justice system in Kazakhstan.  These concepts have been in place since the Code entered into force in January 2015.

“It is important to ensure sufficient balance between simplified criminal procedure, cost-efficiency and the procedural rights of participants,” said Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “This is predicated upon a high level of professionalism of the investigative bodies, adequate legal literacy of the general population and the absence of corruption.”

Nail Akhmetzakirov, the Vice-Rector of the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s Office, said: “The purpose of a plea agreement is the simplification of criminal proceedings, with omitting a number of investigative actions and the entire trial process. This requires a high professional level of the defender and the prosecutor.”

The event was jointly organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the Law Enforcement Academy, as part of the Programme Office’s long-term activities to support criminal justice sector reform in Kazakhstan.

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ASTANA, 4 July 2016 – A two-day OSCE-supported training seminar on the practical aspects of implementing the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) for preventing torture began today in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Some 20 NPM members participated in the third in a series of four events aimed at building the capacities of the NPM in the context of monitoring, reporting and preventive visits to places of detention.

“You represent a reliable ‘pulse’ of the interaction between citizens and law-enforcement authorities and your reaching out to various places of detention provides us with some ‘measurement’ in that sense,” said Ambassador Gyorgy Szabo, Head of the Programme Office in Astana. “Such training events are productive for developing a common methodology and approach and for increasing the potential to prevent abuses of power and cruel and degrading treatment.”

The training addressed working procedures and methodology, key challenges in fulfilling human rights monitoring obligations at detention facilities and ethical matters. Both national and international anti-torture standards were taken into consideration.

Particular attention was paid to the co-operation between NPM and law-enforcement departments, prosecutors, prison administrations, healthcare institutions and media representatives.

The seminar was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in partnership with the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Kazakhstan and the Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The series of training events is part of the Office’s long-term assistance to the NPM and work in promoting the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture in the host country.

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ASTANA, 22 July 2016 – An OSCE-supported two-day training seminar for some 30 defence lawyers from the northern part of Kazakhstan began today in Astana, with the aim of enhancing their understanding, common interpretation and implementation of the new criminal procedure legislation.

The event is organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the National Bar Association and the Almaty Bar Association for lawyers from the Akmola region, Pavlodar, Kostanay, Karaganda and Petropavlovsk.

Presentations will focus on new approaches and methods of legal protection, the legal institute of investigative judges in criminal proceedings, international guarantees for lawyers’ legal security, collection of evidence, and the questioning of witnesses. The interaction of lawyers with citizens, officials conducting criminal proceedings, the media and social networks will also be discussed.

“It is of utmost importance to ensure adequate conditions for the training of judges, prosecutors and lawyers as the equal actors of the lawsuit,” said Ambassador György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “The Bar, as an independent institution, is responsible for ensuring the professional development of defence lawyers. As demonstrated by the current training, the OSCE stands ready to support efforts in this direction”

Kadirzhan Baimukhanova, Deputy Head of the Republican Bar Association, said: "In the current conditions of rapidly developing legislation, such training seminars on the legislative novelties are crucial in ensuring the high professionalism of defence lawyers."

Other topics covered by the training course are new information technologies, e-government, relevant ethical and professional requirements as well as national and international standards and best practices.

The seminar is the first in a series of four planned for this autumn. Future events will take place in Almaty, Aktobe and Ust-Kamenogorsk. The series is part of the Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to strengthen the rule of law and support judicial reform in the host country.

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