About 100 prisoners serving life terms in Kazakhstan

Astana. September 21. Kazakhstan Today - 95 prisoners serving a life sentence in Kazakhstan.

"As of December 31, 2011 correctional institutions hold 53 thousand 338 people, including 95 prisoners serving life sentences. Prison population during the Kazakhstan's independence was reduced, but, despite this, still remains high," said the member of the Human Rights Commission under the President of Kazakhstan, Yerkin Ongarbayev, "Izvestiya Kazakhstan" writes.

In this case, Ongarbayev said that in 1998, Kazakhstan has the third-largest prison population in the world, now it takes the 30th place.

The newspaper also said that the commission's report "On the situation of human rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2011", which was presented before, noted that Kazakhstan should take further measures to create a truly independent judiciary, a highly qualified network of judges, valuing his honor and social status.

"It is necessary to take effective measures to openness and transparency in all public trials, and the activities of the judiciary, to take measures to promote the specialization of courts and judges," Ongarbaev voiced some of the recommendations of the commission.

In addition, the report notes that the current issues are becoming the development and adoption of the new Criminal Code of Kazakhstan. In particular, the Commission considers it necessary to provide for the rules to require law enforcement officers who detain people to inform them at least on the grounds for detention, the qualification of the crime, in which they are accused or suspected. Also detainee's right to counsel of their choice should be implemented, including free legal assistance and confidential meeting with him before the first questioning, the right to silence, the right against self-incrimination, the right to be promptly informed relatives of their detention.

"The report proposes to consolidate in the criminal law that the failure to inform the person of the above right is a fundamental breach of the procedural rights of suspected or accused, which then may lead to termination of the criminal prosecution of the person," said Ongarbaev.

The document proposes to adopt measures to further reduce the prison population and improve the content of persons by reducing their density in prisons. House Rules in prison must be brought into conformity with the Constitution of the country, as well as to intensify efforts to ensure the transparency of criminal corrections system, while promoting the right of relatives to have access to information about the convicts.

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