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OSCE supports objectivity and transparency in selection of judges in Kazakhstan

19 November 2018
Head of the OSCE Programme Office, Ambassador György Szabó delivering a welcoming speech at the international roundtable discussion on selection of judges in Kazakhstan, Astana, 16 November 2018. (OSCE/Adilet Mukushev) Photo details

Modernizing the system to select judges and activities of the High Judicial Council in Kazakhstan were the topic of an OSCE-supported international roundtable discussion held in Astana on 16 November 2018.

The event gathered some 100 high-level government officials, parliamentarians, representatives of the judiciary, non-governmental organizations, and local and international legal experts.

Participants discussed issues related to the objectivity and transparency of the selection process and the role of the legal community and civil society in the composition of bodies deciding on judicial selection. Representatives of the High Judicial Council presented key novelties in the procedure of competitive selection of judges and related qualification criteria.

Talgat Donakov, the Chairperson of the High Judicial Council, said: “The establishment of an independent and fair judiciary is one of the priorities of state policy. Today’s event is aimed at presenting the results of implemented measures to improve the system of selection of judges for public consideration.”

”Transparency is a key element for recruiting the best candidates for judicial posts and minimizing potential political influence in judicial decision-making. How these processes are undertaken is also essential for gaining public trust,” said György Szabó, the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana.

Experts from Italy and Spain shared experiences on the selection of judges in other countries and representatives of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights focused on standards and practices in the selection and appointment process of judges in the OSCE region.

The event was jointly organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, the High Judicial Council, and the Supreme Court, with support from the Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy. It was part of the Programme Office’s long-term efforts to support criminal justice reform in Kazakhstan.