OSCE supports national forum of defence lawyers in Kazakhstan
ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 27 November 2015 – The OSCE-supported national forum of defence lawyers, held today in Almaty, focused on the balance of the prosecution and defence in ensuring the rule of law.
The event was organized by the National Bar Association in co-operation with the NGO Legal Policy Research Centre and the OSCE Programme Office in Astana with the aim of discussing the role and place of defence lawyers in justice system in view of new criminal and civil procedural legislation. Some 85 high-level officials representing the Presidential Administration, the Supreme Court, the Committee on Constitutional Legislation of the Senate, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Justice Ministry and regional bar associations, as well as legal practitioners and experts from civil society discussed the current status of lawyers in civil and criminal proceedings when compared to international standards.
“To effectively fulfil its functions, the legal profession should enjoy a certain degree of autonomy, self-regulation and self-governance,” said Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana Natalia Zarudna. “These aspects are essential for the proper administration of justice, access to justice and the right to a fair trial, as required by international norms and standards, including those developed within the OSCE.”
Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, Talgat Donakov said: “The legal profession is one of the most important human rights institutions and an essential element of modern civil society.” He went on to note that the role of lawyers was reflected in the “100 Concrete Steps”national programme on implementing five institutional reforms proposed by Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
“The National Bar Association of Kazakhstan hopes that the exchange of experiences and perspectives will help to promote the rule of law and the triumph of justice, as well as to improve the ability of the legal profession to successfully fulfil its constitutional mission to protect the rights and legitimate interests of citizens,” said Anuar Tugel, Chairperson of National Bar Association.
Experts from Belarus, France, Lithuania, the Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine shared their experience related to introducing the equality of arms principle and providing legal services, as well as representational matters, the quality of state-guaranteed legal aid, lawyers’ professional ethics and the use of the media and social networks.
As a result of the discussions, participants developed a set of recommendations related to the Forum’s topics that will be submitted to government and parliamentarian institutions.
The Forum is part of the Programme Office’s continuing efforts to strengthen the rule of law and support on-going justice reform in the host country.