Kazakhstan abolishes death penalty

NEW YORK. KAZINFORM – The death penalty has been officially abolished in Kazakhstan as Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN Kairat Umarov signed the second protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Kazinform cites the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan.

The decision to join the international protocol abolishing the death penalty was announced earlier in the day by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his speech at the political debates of the 75th anniversary session of the UN General Assembly. According to him, the country is committed to uphold the fundamental right to life and human dignity.

It is also said that the preparatory works to sign the second protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights began by the Foreign Ministry in December 2019 in line with the President’s task aimed at political reforms.

The signing is another step towards humanizing criminal legislation in Kazakhstan.

The country has not executed the death penalty since 2003 after the relevant monotorium was declared by the presidential decree.