ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 25. During the discussion of Kazakhstan's fourth report at the 48th session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council, the international community expressed support for the reforms being carried out in the country, Trend reports.
The 48th session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council reviewed Kazakhstan's fourth report on the implementation of human rights obligations and the recommendations from the previous review.
The Kazakh delegation, led by Minister of Justice Yerlan Sarsembayev, presented information to the UN Human Rights Council on a wide range of issues, focusing on the large-scale reforms of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in the field of human rights and the rule of law, key updates to Kazakhstan's legislation regulating the eradication of torture and cruel treatment, peaceful assemblies and freedom of association, ensuring the functioning of mass media, expanding journalists' rights, combating human trafficking, and fighting domestic violence.
In his speech, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roman Vasilenko shared Kazakhstan's experience in cooperating with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, special procedures of the Human Rights Council, and UN treaty bodies. In particular, the interdepartmental mechanism for considering requests from special rapporteurs on human rights and treaty bodies for individual complaints established by a decree from the President of Kazakhstan was highlighted.
During the dialogue with the Kazakh delegation, UN member states expressed support for the measures taken to implement the ambitious reforms and welcomed the concrete steps taken to strengthen fundamental human rights and freedoms in Kazakhstan. Notably, the international community highly praised the laws passed in the areas of combating domestic violence, ensuring child safety, strengthening the mandate of the Human Rights Commissioner and the National Preventive Mechanism, and social protection of the population, particularly the most vulnerable groups.
Additionally, the abolition of the death penalty, the adoption of the Human Rights and Rule of Law Action Plan on December 8, 2023, and Kazakhstan's contribution to the work of the UN Human Rights Council during its membership in 2022-2024 were particularly noted by states.
To note, the report of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group on Kazakhstan, with recommendations from UN member states, will be approved by the Human Rights Council at its 59th session in June 2025.