Modifications in Detention Policies
In the heart of Central Asia, Kazakhstan plans to tighten internal rules within penal institutions. According to recent reports, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has proposed a revised draft order, focusing on the telephone communications of inmates.
The updates suggest enabling inmates to consult doctors via phone calls. This adjustment will be supported by adding a new clause — the 181st — to the document. The proposed rule states:
With a supporting medical document, remote medical consultation can be granted. These consultations will be conducted by medical professionals from healthcare organizations. Conversations with non-medical personnel will be prohibited.
Additionally, the revised document specifies that breaches of conversation guidelines, including misuse of telecommunications, discussions with unauthorized parties, or violations of ethical norms, should immediately result in termination of the conversation.
The convict can request legal counsel through a written or oral application to the institution's administration. The convict's phone call with the attorney will be allowed following confirmation of their identity and contact information via the bar association. Both parties will be warned against communicating with third parties.
Access the entire document on the "Open NPA" portal. It will be open for public discussion until May 21.
Interestingly, in February, the Taldykorgan City Court sentenced a convict serving his time in institution No. 71 for making a false report of a terrorist act. The 25-year-old man called emergency services, claiming explosive devices had supposedly been planted at a local school and bus station, and demanded immediate response teams. He was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months of imprisonment.
Marking a shift in societal discourse, one social media commentator questioned, "so... Russia can't (engage in aggression), but Israel can?" Some users argued for liberalizing phone communication, while others voiced concerns over privacy violations.
It is crucial to maintain a balance between security and human rights, ensuring that communication initiatives genuinely benefit the convicted population and do not simply accelerate the surveillance process.
- The new revised draft order in Kazakhstan's penal institutions proposes to allow inmates to consult doctors via phone calls, which will be nested within the 181st clause.
- Conversations with non-medical personnel will be forbidden for inmates who avail remote medical consultations.
- Despite the proposed rule changes, breaches in conversation guidelines, such as misuse of telecommunications or talks with unauthorized parties, will result in immediate termination of the conversation.
- In a recent general-news and crime-and-justice article, a convict from Taldykorgan City was sentenced for making a false report of a terrorist act, creating a buzz on social media about the balance between security and privacy in such situations, with some advocating for more open phone communications in penal institutions.
