(Read the full article on astanatimes.com)

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree “On further human rights measures in Kazakhstan” as part of his political modernization agenda, the Astana Times reported.

The decree warrants the launch of a human rights priority action plan that protects the rights of vulnerable people and minority groups, including women, people with disabilities and victims of human trafficking.

In addition to outlining cooperation with the United Nations (UN) bodies, the decree also includes protection of freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom to life and public order.

While the action plan is currently being developed by the authorities, the new decree has already generated a significant discourse raising questions of what it means for the future of the country and how it could lead to further political development.

Chair of the Kazakh Coalition on Consumer Rights Protection Murat Abenov noted that protecting human rights is a matter no less urgent than economic development. Abenov explained that reforms of the judicial system in order to meet UN standards should be a priority of human rights reform. A high-functioning judicial system is a cornerstone of sustainable political reforms. Regarding the public reception of the new decree, Abenov stated that the support of the public is expected.

“I think the majority will support the presidential decree. It is important that the carried out work is transparent. The issues of ensuring human rights and freedoms should not be resolved without participating in an open discussion. I would like civil society to be involved in this issue,” said Abenov on his Facebook page.

Director of the Expert Institute of European Law and Human Rights Marat Bashimov stated on his Facebook page that the new measures have the potential to fundamentally change mechanisms of effective human rights protection. According to Bashimov, if the Kazakh government is successful in developing a legislature that would guide institutional execution and develop practical measures, it would lead to a reboot of the state-level human rights mechanisms. Similar to Abenov, Bashimov named the revision of existing legislation and meeting international standards as key components of this process.

“The Kazakh Constitution guarantees citizens the right to protection but it cannot be fully implemented due to the lack of practical mechanisms for the execution of decisions of international organizations, such as the UN Human Rights Committee,” said Bashimov.