No alterations necessary for the Constitution's constitution - Tokayev on scrapping capital punishment in Kazakhstan
Rewritten Article:
Kazakhstan's President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, spoke out about the nation's decision to scrap the death penalty, according to Almaty.tv.
Tokayev asserted that it's unnecessary to tweak the Constitution since the death penalty has essentially been nixed through a moratorium. This moratorium, put in place by the country's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, back in December 2003, went into effect on January 1, 2004, and officially axed the death penalty.
"This aligns perfectly with the Constitution, and no updates to the Basic Law are required, as the death penalty is currently suspended due to a moratorium declared by our First President," Tokayev underscored.
In addition to financial initiatives, the state will take additional steps to foster a more democratic Kazakh society. Specifically, new laws have been put in place concerning political parties, public gatherings, and demonstrations.
Kazakhstan holds the status of an "abolitionist" country, meaning the death penalty is nonexistent in the nation. Recent developments related to human rights and the rule of law reforms in Kazakhstan continue to unfold, with discussions at the Council of Europe about the country's commitment to these reforms. However, specific recent developments directly tied to the death penalty are scarce beyond its abolition.
While Kazakhstan has scrapped the death penalty, it still grapples with human rights issues, such as limitations on free speech, peaceful assembly, and association, as well as concerns like police brutality and unlawful killings. These matters hint at broader legal and societal developments aside from the death penalty.
In short, Kazakhstan maintains its position as an abolitionist country, with no recent changes indicating a shift on the death penalty. Nevertheless, broader legal and societal reforms persist.
[1] Constitutional Court established in 2023: https://www.coe.int/en/web/kazakhstan/major-legislation--2[4] Restrictions on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, as well as ongoing issues like police brutality and unlawful killings: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/kazakhstan
- Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan, has confirmed that there is no need to amend the Constitution regarding the death penalty, as it has been effectively abolished through a moratorium.
- Kazakhstan, being an abolitionist country, has officially ceased the practice of capital punishment since 2004, following a moratorium declared by the country's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev.
- In addition to abolishing the death penalty, Kazakhstan has also implemented new laws to support a more democratic society, which involve changes in political parties, public gatherings, and demonstrations.
- Despite Kazakhstan being an abolitionist country, it continues to face human rights issues, including limitations on free speech, peaceful assembly, and association, as well as concerns such as police brutality and unlawful killings.
