Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 13 / Trend /
Chairman of the Kazakh Senate Kairat Mami said the strengthening of the independent judicial system is a priority area for Kazakhstan, the OSCE reported.
"An independent judiciary ensures the democratic development of the state, investment security and, above all, protection of human rights," Mr. Mami said at an OSCE-organized conference in Astana this week.
Speaking at the event, Legal Officer of the OSCE/ODIHR Legislative Support Unit Ludvig Becking said the independence of the judiciary, as a fundamental principle in any democratic nation based on the rule of law, requires proper and secure working conditions for judges to be able to withstand both external and internal pressure.
"We hope that the Joint Opinion can serve to support the strengthening of judicial independence in Kazakhstan in line with international standards," he said.
The conference, which brought together parliamentarians, officials from the Government, President's Administration, General Prosecutor's Office, and representatives of the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Council, the bar association, academia and civil society, focused on plans for judicial reform aimed at strengthening independence and transparency in the administration of justice.
The conference was co-organized by the OSCE Centre in Astana in co-operation with the Senate of Parliament, the European Union Project "Support of Judicial and Legal Reforms in Kazakhstan", Kazakhstan's Union of Judges and the local NGO Legal Policy Research Centre. It represents part of the Centre's work to promote judicial independence and justice reforms in Kazakhstan.