|
Sarkaritel.com News and
Features
Kazakhstan has taken a further step toward abolishing
capital punishment
Friday, January 18, 2008
Kazakhstan has taken a further step toward abolishing death
penalty. In addition to a moratorium on death penalty
introduced in December of 2003, Kazakhstan has introduced life
imprisonment as an alternative to the death sentence for some
grave crimes.
The UN adopted a resolution on death penalty moratorium by
majority of votes in the third committee in November 2007. The
resolution of the General Assembly has no binding force, but
it is a political signal for leaders of the world. The
document has been introduced on behalf of almost 80 states and
called the countries to refuse application of death penalty,
which contradicts the basic principles of the United Nations.
In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of
Kazakhstan, which was amended in May 2007, the death penalty
may be imposed only in exceptional cases, such as grave crimes
leading to the killing of people by terrorist acts or during
wartime. Meanwhile, the accused has the right to appeal.
In line of Kazakhstan's commitment, on 6 December 2007, a
Presidential Order was issued on amnesty of 31 persons in
Kazakhstan, charged with capital punishment at different
times, and changing the verdict from the death penalty to life
imprisonment as an alternative.
This humane measure is taken from the perspective of steps of
Kazakhstan, which was elected to chair the OSCE in 2010,
towards promoting international standards in human rights. It
should be mentioned that as a democratic state firmly
committed to the rule of law, Kazakhstan proclaims life,
rights and freedoms as the highest values of a human being.
E-Mail :
newseditor@sarkaritel.com |
