Prosecutor’s role in court proceedings, standards essential for fair trial key topics of OSCE-supported training seminar in Kazakhstan

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 25 September 2013 - Some 30 prosecutors from Kazakhstan’s regions are attending a three-day training seminar on prosecution in court proceedings, supported by the OSCE Centre in Astana that began today in Almaty.

International and national criminal justice experts at the seminar co-organized by the Institute of the Prosecutor General’s Office will share their expertise on the prosecutor’s role in court and pre-trial proceedings as well as on the international standards essential to a fair trial, equality of arms and the adversarial principle.

The seminar participants will also analyze challenges in criminal prosecution and ways to address them. They will have a chance to participate in mock trials organized by Russian experts and put their public speaking skills into practice.

“With this event, we seek to develop prosecutors’ skills and raise their awareness of the human rights issues involved in court proceedings,” noted Ambassador Natalia Zarudna, Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana, in her welcoming address to the participants.

Saltanat Tursynbekova, Director of the by the Institute of the Prosecutor General’s Office: “The protection of the rights of participants during court proceedings defines how efficient and independent a justice system is. The professional qualities of prosecutors play an important role in supporting these principles.” She added that this was especially relevant in the light of the overhaul of the criminal procedural code in Kazakhstan.

The training is part of the Centre's long-term co-operation with Kazakhstan's law enforcement agencies aimed at supporting judicial system reform.