OSCE Center in Astana promotes dialogue on penal, criminal legislation

    A two-day conference supported by the OSCE Center in Astana concluded on Friday in Almaty.
    The OSCE is promoting a more effective fight against crime with a Russian-language guide to conducting criminal investigations
    The conference brought together state officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, academia and the expert community to discuss draft criminal and criminal procedure codes.
    The first day of the conference focused on criminal sanctions, the death penalty, exemption from liability and specifically on issues of criminal liability for terrorism, cybercrimes, decriminalization of libel, juvenile delinquency and corporate criminal liability. On the second day participants examined pre-trial stage proceedings, the initiation of criminal investigations, and trials by jury, the press service of the OSCE Center in Astana said.
    As a result of the conference, a set of recommendations on the draft criminal and criminal procedure laws were prepared.
    "Such meetings are meant to help state agencies, national human rights protection bodies, legal scholars and civil society exchange opinions and reach consent on complex penal legislation reform issues and adopt new generation criminal and criminal procedure codes in Kazakhstan, which would take into account the country's international commitments and reflect present-day challenges," said Ambassador Natalia Zarudna, the Head of the OSCE Center in Astana, Gazeta.kz wrote.