Kazakhstan presents its candidacy to Human Rights Council for 2022-2024

Kazakhstan • 25 February, 2020

Kazakhstan presents its candidacy to Human Rights Council for 2022-2024

Kazakhstan has presented its candidacy to the Human Rights Council for the period of 2022-2024, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi said in Geneva on 24 February, New Europe reports.

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“Kazakhstan has presented its candidacy to the Human Rights Council for the period of 2022-2024. With your support, if elected, we are committed to contributing to a more effective, balanced and impartial work of the Council,” Tleuberdi told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

He stressed that Kazakhstan proceeds from the premise that the Human Rights Council should remain the main multilateral platform to address human rights.

Tleuberdi informed the UN about the first results of Kazakh new initiative the concept the so-called “listening state,” which, he said, aims “at strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights in Kazakhstan.”

Firstly, the decision was made to accede to the second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aimed at abolishing the death penalty, he said. “Many of you in this room, during the UPR Review of Kazakhstan, which took place on November 7th last year, recommended to my country to accede to this important international instrument that protects a fundamental human right – the right to life. This is an additional step to the existing moratorium on the death penalty, which we observe since 2003,” the Kazakh foreign minister said.

He stressed that Kazakhstan attaches particular importance to its cooperation with member states within the UPR mechanism. Kazakhstan have carefully examined all the submitted recommendations and decided to support nearly 90% of them,” Tleuberdi said.

“This March, at the adoption of UPR outcomes for Kazakhstan, our delegation will present a more detailed position on them. Secondly, a decision was taken to revise the law on peaceful assemblies and relevant articles of the Criminal Code, which will contribute to the effective implementation of the right of people to exercise their right to freedom of expression” Tleuberdi said.

Thirdly, penalties have been toughened for those who commit violence, human trafficking and other serious crimes against individuals, especially women and children, he said. “We have also taken the decision to accede to the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe aimed at preventing and combatting violence against women,” Tleuberdi said.

According to the Kazakh Foreign Minister, last year Kazakhstan successfully accomplished two special humanitarian missions ‘Zhusan’ and ‘Rusafa.’ As a result of these operations, more than 600 Kazakh citizens, who were victims of terrorist propaganda, returned home from war zones in the Middle East, most of whom are women and children, Tileuberdi said, adding that Kazakhstan is ready to share our experience with other countries and urge them to take similar steps.

“On March 6th, the Mission of Kazakhstan is organizing an informative side event on this topic with the participation of UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism Ms Fionnuala Ni Aolain, and a number of other international organisations,” Tleuberdi said.

The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.

It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.

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