OSCE Centre in Astana organizes study visit to Slovenia on National Preventive Mechanism against torture

The OSCE Centre in Astana co-organized a study visit of representatives from Kazakhstan to Ljubljana from 11 to 12 February 2014 to learn about the Slovenian experience in implementing the National Preventive Mechanism against torture and ill-treatment (NPM).

The visit was organized together with the Kazakhstan Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Office with support of the Penal Reform International Office in Central Asia.

Kazakhstan’s Ombudsman Askar Shakirov and his Slovenian counterpart Vlasta Nussdorfer shared experiences in the establishing of the NPM in both countries. They underlined the importance of a constructive dialogue between government bodies and civil society for the successful implementation of this mechanism, and discussed the co-ordinating role of the Ombudsman in the process.

Recently adopted legislation on the NPM in Kazakhstan, in compliance with the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture that Kazakhstan ratified in 2008, introduces a system of regular visits by the National Ombudsman and representatives of civil society to detention facilities and special care homes for children and disabled persons.

During the visit, the delegation of Kazakhstan participated in the monitoring visit to Koper detention facility in Nova Gorica, which gave them an insight into practical aspects of the NPM’s implementation.

This study visit is part of the OSCE Centre’s efforts to assist government institutions and civil society organizations and promote the NPM.