Brussels, March 29, 2022 – Ms. Elvira Azimova, the Commissioner for Human Rights in Kazakhstan, completed her two-day visit to the capital of the European Union.

Within the framework of the visit, Ms. Elvira Azimova met with high-level representatives of the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Parliament (EP).

During the meeting with the Special representative of the European Union for Central Asia, Ms. Terhi Hakala, the parties discussed the support by the European institutions of Kazakhstan’s initiatives and projects aimed at improving the judicial and penal systems of Kazakhstan.

Special attention was given to the interaction between Kazakhstan and the EU within the Human Rights Dialogue, the Sub-Committee on Justice and Rule of Law, as well as the Central Asia – EU Civil Society Forum.

The issues of bilateral interaction on the parliamentary track were discussed with the Chairperson of the Kazakhstan – EU Friendship Group in the European Parliament – Vice-Chair of the EP Committee on Petitions (PETI), Mr. Ryszard Czarnecki. The MEP assured that the members of the Group, representing different political groups and countries, are ready to provide the necessary political support to achieve the democratic reforms announced by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on March 16, 2022.

During talks with Mr. Fulvio Martusciello, the Chairperson of the EP Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (DCAS), the parties discussed details of the upcoming visit of the European Parliament delegation to Kazakhstan to participate in the 19th meeting of the Kazakhstan - EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, to be held on April 12, 2022 in Nur-Sultan.

Ms. Azimova informed in detail the Standing Rapporteur of the European Parliament for Kazakhstan, Mr. Klemen Grošelj, about the main directions of her joint activities with the Government and Parliament to implement the State-of-Nation Address of the President of Kazakhstan “New Kazakhstan: The Path of Renewal and Modernization”. The interlocutors agreed to strengthen the direct dialogue between two offices in order to exchange information on all issues of high interest to the European Parliament.

The attention of Mr. Adrián Vázquez Lázara, Chairperson of the EP Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) was drawn to new steps of Kazakh authorities to develop civil society, reforming judicial system and law enforcement agencies. Mr. Vázquez Lázara also invited Ms. Azimova to make a working visit to Spain in order to familiarize with the activity of the local institutions in the sphere of human rights protection and democracy.

A member of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), Mr. Nacho Sánchez Amor, highly appreciated Ms. Azimova’s efforts in protecting the rights of Kazakhstani citizens during the investigation of the “January Tragedy”. He also supported the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan to raise the status of the Commissioner for Human Rights and the expansion of the jury trial mandate.

With a representative of the EP Committee on Labour and Social Affairs (EMPL), Ms. Atidzhe Alieva-Veli, both sides exchanged views on key areas of Kazakhstan’s socio-economic development, including those related to the implementation by the Government of Kazakhstan of anti-crisis measures to overcome the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the damage caused during the January events in various cities of Kazakhstan.

During her visit to Brussels, Ms. Azimova delivered a speech to members and guests of the Press Club Brussels Europe. The participants of the press conference were particularly interested in the activities of Ms. Azimova on the protection of human rights in Kazakhstan in the context of the January events.