Yevgeni Zhovtis - Kazakhstan 

"Unfortunately, the country took the path of creating a new authoritarian system while proclaiming it was a state governed by the rule of law and respected human rights. In those circumstances, the organisation’s key target became systematic advocacy of human rights on all levels, as well as collecting and systematization of information on specific offences while at the same assisting citizens in the protection of their rights. Since Kazakhstan has not legislatively recognized the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, it is all but impossible to imagine any cases coming out of Kazakhstan would be considered by the ICC. In this regard, our advice for the ICC would be only to wish that the ICC kept on working to push Kazakhstan toward acceptance and recognition of ICC’s jurisdiction over it.The national justice system in Kazakhstan is rigidly coupled with the executive branch and makes no effort neither has any desire of becoming independent from it, and the idea of independent and fair courts which would only be governed by the law, although proclaimed in the Constitution, is still deeply alien to the system.".

Organization: Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR)

Location: Kazakhstan

Vision: Initially, when the country was going through a transformation as a post-Soviet republic, KIBHR wanted to help to steer it toward democratic values and standards. However, as the country turned away rom democracy, the society felt an ever-growing need for justice. With six regional branches, the Bureau monitors the human rights situation throughout Kazakhstan and disseminates its information worldwide. It also tracks developments in other Central Asian countries and conducts large-scale conferences and round-table discussions on a wide variety of issues, including the death penalty, operation of the penitentiary system, and the rights of refugees and migrants.

Mission: The Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR) is a Kazakhstan non-governmental, not-for-profit human rights organisation whose mission is aimed at promoting: 

• observance of civil and political rights and freedoms in Kazakhstan and other countries;
• development of democracy, the rule of law and civil society through education, monitoring (data collection, analysis and dissemination of information), advocacy activities, analysis of legislation and bringing it in compliance with international standards.

Our organization has long-standing cooperation with a number of Kazakhstani NGOs who share our values and operate in a way that is similar to ours. In addition to joint projects and actions with individual NGOs, our organization has taken part in the establishment and continues to participate in activities of three Kazakhstan national coalitions. KIBHR is a corresponding member in FIDH and Civic Solidarity Platform.