On 20 April 2023, the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan, the Commissioner for Human Rights and the Human Rights Commission under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, held a conference in Almaty under the theme “Prevention of torture and ill-treatment: International and European standards and good practices”.

The high-level conference was opened by the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr Berik Asylov, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr Artur Lastaev, the Director of Programme Co-ordination of the Council of Europe Mr Claus Neukirch, the Ambassador of the European Union to Kazakhstan Mr Kestutis Jankauskas, the Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr Aslambek Mergaliev and Mr Akmal Saidov, First Deputy Speaker of the legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majilis (Parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The event brought together some 100 participants representing prosecutorial and judicial bodies, national human rights institutions and bar associations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as international organisations.

The conference participants took stock of the situation relating to the investigation of ill-treatment and torture in Central Asia. They looked at the achievements and challenges in this field through the prism of relevant European and international standards, gaining from best European practices presented by Council of Europe experts. Discussion focused in particular on the role of prosecutors and investigative bodies, judges, lawyers and national human rights institutions, including National Preventive Mechanisms in preventing and investigating cases of torture and ill-treatment.

At the end of the day, participants discussed draft recommendations for law enforcement bodies, national human rights institutions and the judiciary outlining the necessity of joining efforts to ensure compliance with human rights standards on preventing torture and ill-treatment.

The conference was organised within the framework of the Central Asia Rule of Law Programme 2020-2023, a joint initiative co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.