On the Path to Europe? Kazakhstan s OSCE Chairmanship and Human Rights Commitments

Kazakhstan's OSCE Chairmanship bid has split the European Union and led to questioning of the country's suitability to head an organisation while its 'human dimension' commitments record is deemed poor by independent observers.

Since then, Kazakhstan has sought to allay concerns, elaborating a path to Europe strategy which spells out the country's ambition to come closer to the European Union and, on the eve of the decision, spelling out steps towards  political pluralism and freedom of expression, known as the 'Madrid Commitments.'

Nevertheless, three months into Kazakhstan's Chairmanship, negative trends cast doubt on the extent of Kazakhstan's true commitment to adhere to its Human Rights obligations. Whilst during the lead up to the Chairmanship the Government seemed more open to dialogue with civil society, it simultaneously introduced restrictive laws that further limited freedom of speech, implemented a policy of silencing dissenting opinions and imprisoned a prominent human rights defender following an unfair trial.

This contradicted Kazakhstan's rhetoric on protecting and supporting the human dimension pillar of the OSCE. In February 2010, during the high level UN Universal Periodic Review in Geneva it pledged to "eradicate torture by 2013" yet fails to ensure prosecution and accountability of torture perpetrators, despite recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, UN committees and the OSCE.

With ongoing discussions concerning the potential OSCE summit in the EU, a split of opinion between the EU member-states and risks and influence on the potential summit on the human rights situation, this is a key moment to discuss how Kazakhstan's human rights record relates to its aspirations of international leadership. It is critical that should the summit take place, its content is shaped by active participation of the civil society actors.   

At this meeting, independent civil society experts from Kazakhstan share their vision of the Chairmanship so far, as well as the role they see for the EU, both bilaterally and within the OSCE towards the country, in 2010 and beyond, as the country continues to its strategic "Path to Europe."

Speakers

• Vyacheslav Abramov, Director, MediaNet, Almaty, Kazakhstan (member of the Coalition "OSCE 2010" and Kazakhstan Coalition against Torture)
• Anara Ibrayeva, Director, Astana branch, Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law (member of the Coalition "OSCE 2010" and Kazakhstan Coalition against Torture)  
• Sergey Belov, Chair, Active Youth of Northern Kazakhstan, Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan
• Jacqueline Hale, Open Society Institute–Brussels (moderator)

Location

Crowne Plaza Hotel
Room Van Gogh
rue de la Loi 107
1040 Brussels