25.06.2009
"EUROPEAN UNION-KAZAKHSTAN"
CIVIL SOCIETY SEMINAR ON HUMAN RIGHTS
JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND PLACES OF DETENTION:
TOWARDS THE EUROPEAN STANDARDS
ALMATY, 29-30 JUNE 2009
HOTEL "INTERCONTINENTAL ALMATY"
CONCEPT NOTE AND MODALITIES
BACKGROUND
In 2007, the European Union adopted a `Strategy for a New Partnership'
with Central Asia, aimed at developing further co-operation with the
Central Asian region. One of the main objectives of this initiative is
the promotion of human rights, rule of law, good governance and
democratization in Central Asia through enhanced exchanges in civil
society.
To this end, the European Commission is organising a series of annual
Seminars on a variety of human rights issues, bringing together
officials, non-governmental organizations and other civil society
representatives. These Seminars will provide an opportunity to discuss
international standards and best practices on human rights, and invite
civil society to give their perspective on the current situation and
challenges in the countries of the region, with a view to developing
recommendations for governments.
In 2008, the European Union and Kazakhstan agreed to establish an
annual human rights dialogue. On 15 October 2008, the first session of
the dialogue took place in Astana. Both sides confirmed the importance
of having an open, constructive and result-oriented human rights
dialogue. A number of specific problems with regard to the human
rights situation were discussed including the reforms of the judicial
system, freedom of association and assembly, the freedom of expression
and the media, freedom of thought and religion, and the rights of
women and children. Furthermore, both sides agreed to hold a dedicated
human rights Seminar between civil society representatives from
Kazakhstan and the EU.
AIM OF THE SEMINAR
The aim of the civil society Seminar is to contribute to the human
rights dialogue through open discussions which will help to enrich the
official dialogue. The civil society Seminar will provide an
opportunity for discussion between European and Kazakhstan civil
society representatives, academics and government officials on human
rights topics and on how to enhance the application of human rights.
The civil society Seminar on human rights is intended to:
* allow academics and members of civil society through
non-confrontational discussion to feed the agenda of the official
dialogue with their views;
* enhance the official human rights dialogue by creating a space for
the European and Kazakhstan academic and NGO communities to have
open and professional discussions at expert level in order to
formulate recommendations for future reforms based on best
practices and applicable international standards;
* expose academics and civil society representatives to expert
analysis on the areas where the use of international human rights
standards and EU practices could be further promoted in
Kazakhstan.
In relation to each specific issue identified in the agenda,
discussions should draw on three strands:
* Examination of international standards
* Examination of current national law and practice
* Examples of best practice / alternatives to current practice
STRUCTURE OF THE SEMINAR
The Seminar will consist of opening and closing plenary sessions, with
the participation of representatives from the Kazakhstan authorities,
Presidency of the European Union and the European Commission. There
will be also two plenary sessions where all participants will take
part: one devoted to the issue of law on administrative responsibility
and another one focusing on alternatives to imprisonment.
Between these two joint plenary sessions all participants will be
divided in two workshops: on judicial system and conditions of
detention.
Participants are encouraged to register in one of the workshops
already in advance of the Seminar by conveying their wishes to the
Seminar's moderators. They are requested to contribute to all sessions
of the assigned workshop.
MODALITIES OF THE DISCUSSION
Opening speeches
Each session of the Seminar will be opened by one of the two
moderators, followed by short introductory speeches of the European
and Kazakhstani experts identified on the agenda.
European speakers are invited to briefly introduce the European
standards (main sources of inspiration, refer to
organizations/institutions/NGOs that can be used as experts, etc.) and
Kazakhstani speakers are suggested to give a short overview of the
situation in the country in a given area.
Each introductory speech should not exceed 10 minutes and should
highlight best practices and recommendations for reform. Written
versions of the speeches will be made available to the participants on
USB sticks, both in Russian and English languages.
Interventions of participants
A floor will be then open for discussion among participants who are
encouraged to share their theoretical and practical knowledge and
experience that will help to formulate proposals for future action in
the areas outlined in the agenda. A moderator will give a floor to the
participants when seeing a raised hand.
The intention is to develop a free-flowing discussion, therefore
participants are asked to refrain from lengthy remarks and reading out
prepared statements. They are, at the same time, encouraged to
intervene during the Seminar as many times as they wish, however,
limiting their statements to the specific issues at hand thereby
contributing to a genuine discussion.
State officials are invited to take the floor in order to respond to
issued addressed by civil society participants, in particular when the
official feedback appears of particular relevance and importance to
the course of the discussion.
Interventions should provide ideas that may assist the Government of
the Republic of Kazakhstan in bringing law and practice in line with
applicable international standards and give direction of the
cooperation between the EU and the Republic of Kazakhstan on an
intergovernmental (in particular, the EU-Kazakhstan human rights
dialogue) and civil society level.
Adoption of recommendations
Participants are kindly requested during their interventions to
suggest conclusions and concrete recommendations. At the end of each
session there will be time allocated for the participants to agree on
the recommendations submitted.
Adopted wording of the recommendations will be presented during the
closing plenary session by the moderators. Participants will then
have a last opportunity to make comments and propose corrections.
Final recommendations will be submitted to the EU and Kazakhstani
officials in view of the official dialogue on human rights which will
take place in October 2009. They will also be included in a final
report to be produced after the Seminar.
The role of the moderators is to ensure that the core issues have been
discussed and that recommendations have been made. Two assigned
note-takers will keep a record of the discussions.
Advance submission of written recommendations
All participants can submit concise written recommendations before the
Seminar by sending them to one of the moderators. Written
recommendations will be taken into account when preparing moderators'
reports to the plenary session at the end of the Seminar.
Display table for information materials
All participants may bring with them background materials that they
wish to distribute to the participants of the Seminar. A display table
will be made available in the lobby in front of the Seminar rooms.
ORGANISATION
The event is organised by the European Commission and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
PARTICIPANTS
Between 60 and 65 participants are expected, including Kazakhstani
senior officials, experts on human rights, representatives of the
legal profession, academics, representatives of non-governmental
organisations and other civil society actors from Kazakhstan and the
European countries, representatives of international organisations and
the EU institutions.
REGISTRATION
The registration for all participants will begin in the morning of 29
June 2009.
LANGUAGES
The Seminar will be held in the Russian, Kazakh and English languages.
Simultaneous interpretation will be provided for all sessions.
MEALS
A Welcome Networking Cocktail will be organized for all participants
on Sunday, 28 June at 18.30 in the Hotel "InterContinental Almaty".
On behalf of the EU, one dinner will be offered for all the guests at
the end of the first day of the Seminar on Monday, 29 June.
Two lunches will be organized for all participants as well as coffee
breaks during the Seminar days.
WELCOME DESK
A Welcome Desk will be available during both days of the seminar at
the entrance to the seminar venue from 09:00 to 17:30 to register the
participants, disseminate the information packs with all relevant
materials and respond to the participants' queries.
WORKING HOURS OF THE SEMINAR
The seminar will take place in the Ball room and Astana meeting room.
The working hours are as follows:
Monday, 29 June: Registration of Participants 09:00 - 09:30
Seminar 09:30 - 17:40
Tuesday, 30 June: Seminar 09:00 - 17:30
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