
ADDRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM OF KAZAKHSTAN: THE ROLE OF THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND A CALL FOR LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
1. Introduction. – 2. Understanding Human Rights Violations within the Criminal Justice System. – 3. Methodologies. – 4. The International Dimension of Human Rights in Criminal Justice. – 5. Commitment to Enhancing Human Rights in National Legal Frameworks of Kazakhstan. – 6. Human Rights Violations in the Criminal Justice of Kazakhstan. – 7. The Role of the Prosecutor's Office in Protecting Human Rights in the Criminal Justice System of Kazakhstan. – 8. Conclusions.
Abstract
Human rights violations within the criminal justice system represent a pervasive problem. International human rights agreements and national laws clearly assert the absolute protection of human rights. However, despite these strong legal principles, human rights violations frequently occur within the criminal justice system. This article examines the problem of human rights violations in the criminal justice system of Kazakhstan and the role of the prosecutor's office in protecting human rights.
Methods:
This study utilised documentary analysis and secondary data analysis methodologies to conduct a detailed examination of legal acts, international agreements, and policy documents It specifically reviewed documents including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Constitutional Law “On the Prosecutor's Office”, the Concept of Legal Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan up to 2030, and human rights reports from international bodies such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House. The study also analysed reports from the Ministry of Justice and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Results and conclusions:
By analysing international human rights treaties, national legislation, and reports from leading human rights organisations, the study exposes significant discrepancies between legal mandates and actual practices. Despite Kazakhstan's formal commitment to international human rights standards, it reveals systemic issues, including instances of human rights abuses in criminal justice. The study highlights the critical role of the prosecutor's office in human rights protection while also pointing out the challenges in effectively fulfilling these responsibilities. The findings stress the importance of legislative reforms for enhancing the protection of human rights in criminal justice. The study is particularly relevant for policymakers, human rights advocates, and scholars interested in the intersection of law enforcement and human rights protections, offering insights that could guide future improvements in criminal justice practices.
About Authors
Ph.D. (Law) Candidate, Faculty of law, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan
dalqanatai@proton.me
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1339-5163
Co-author, responsible for conceptualization, supervision, methodology, data curation, investigation, writing-original draft, writing – review and editing.
Daniyar Nurmukhanbet
Ph.D. (Law), Vice-Rector, International Taraz Innovative Institute, Taraz, Kazakhstan
info@htii.kz
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6816-2110
Co-author, responsible for investigation, methodology, writing-original draft.
Kairat Yernishev
Ph.D. (Law), Dean, Faculty of Economics and Law, Taraz Regional University named after M.Kh. Dulaty, Taraz, Kazakhstan
ka.ernishev@dulaty.kz
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3687-3009
Co-author, responsible for investigation, formal analysis, writing-original draft.
Akynkozha Zhanibekov
Ph.D. (Law), Deputy Dean, Faculty of Law, Kazakh National University Al Farabi, Almaty, Kazakhstan
akynkozha.zhanibekov@kaznu.kz
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1116-2123
Co-author, responsible for investigation, visualization, writing-original draft.
Bakhyt Altynbassov
Ph.D. (Law), EdD candidate, Faculty of Social Sciences and Law, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
gr19948@bristol.ac.uk
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4142-4315
Corresponding author, responsible for conceptualization, formal analysis, project administration, validation, writing-original draft, writing – review and editing.
Competing interests: No competing interests were disclosed.
Disclaimer: The authors declare that their opinion and views expressed in this manuscript are free of any impact of any organizations.
Copyright: © 2024 Kanatay Dalmatov, Daniyar Nurmukhanbet, Kairat Yernishev, Akynkozha Zhanibekov and Bakhyt Altynbassov. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Дослідницька стаття
БОРОТЬБА З ПОРУШЕННЯМИ ПРАВ ЛЮДИНИ В СИСТЕМІ КРИМІНАЛЬНОГО СУДОЧИНСТВА КАЗАХСТАНУ: РОЛЬ ПРОКУРАТУРИ ТА ЗАКЛИК ДО ЗАКОНОДАВЧИХ РЕФОРМ
Канатай Далматов, Даніяр Нурмуханбет, Кайрат Єрнішев, Акинкожа Жанібеков та Бахит Алтинбасов
АНОТАЦІЯ
Вступ.
Порушення прав людини в системі кримінального судочинства є поширеною проблемою. Міжнародні договори у галузі прав людини та національне законодавство гарантують абсолютний захист прав людини. Однак, незважаючи на ці стійкі правові принципи, порушення прав людини часто відбуваються в системі кримінального судочинства. У статті розглядається проблема порушення прав людини в системі кримінального судочинства Казахстану та роль прокуратури у захисті прав людини.
Методи.
У цьому дослідженні використовувалися методології аналізу документів й аналізу вторинних даних для детального вивчення нормативно-правових актів, міжнародних угод і програмних документів. Зокрема, були розглянуті такі документи, як Загальна декларація прав людини (ЗДПЛ), Конституційний закон «Про прокуратуру», Концепції правової політики Республіки Казахстан до 2030 року, а також доповіді про права людини міжнародних організацій, таких Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch іFreedom House. У дослідженні також проаналізовано звіти Міністерства юстиції та Уповноваженого з прав людини Республіки Казахстан.
Результати та висновки.
Здійснивши аналіз міжнародних договорів з прав людини, національного законодавства та звітів провідних правозахисних організацій, у своєму дослідженні автори виявили значні розбіжності між юридично визначеними нормами та реальною практикою. Незважаючи на офіційне визнання Казахстаном міжнародних стандартів прав людини, у статті було розкрито системні проблеми, зокрема випадки порушення прав людини в кримінальному судочинстві. У дослідженні наголошено на важливій ролі прокуратури у захисті прав людини, а також зазначено проблеми, пов’язані з ефективним виконанням цих обов’язків. У висновках було підкреслено важливість законодавчих реформ для посилення захисту прав людини в кримінальному судочинстві. Дослідження є особливо актуальним для політиків, правозахисників і науковців, які цікавляться питанням перетину правоохоронної діяльності та захисту прав людини. Запропоновані ідеї можуть стати орієнтиром для подальшого вдосконалення практики кримінального судочинства.
Ключові слова:
права людини, кримінальне судочинство, прокурор, законодавчі реформи, Казахстан.
Publication history
How to cite it?
- Dalmatov K, Nurmukhanbet D, Yernishev K, Zhanibekov A and Altynbassov B, ‘Addressing Human Rights Violations in the Criminal Justice System of Kazakhstan: The Role of the Prosecutor's Office and a Call for Legislative Reforms’ (2024) 7(3) Access to Justice in Eastern Europe 63-90 https://doi.org/10.33327/AJEE-18-7.3-a000323