OSCE Centre supports public access to information in Kazakhstan

ASTANA, 17 June 2011 – A  round table meeting on public access to information in Kazakhstan, organized by the OSCE Centre jointly with the National Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Danish Institute for Human Rights started today in Astana.

The roundtable “Right to Information – Constituent Component of Human Rights and Freedoms” brought together about 60 parliamentarians, representatives of the government, and international and non-governmental organizations, as well as national and international experts to discuss legal regulations, international good practices and guiding principles on access to information.

The participants of the roundtable discussed provisions of the draft law elaborated by the Parliament as part of Kazakhstan’s efforts to establish a legal framework on public access to information. They shared views on its future implementation aimed at strengthening transparent governance and raising accountability. The participants received a manual on international standards on public access to information prepared by the Danish Institute for Human Rights.

Ambassador Alexander Keltchewsky, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana, said it was important that “the law on public access to information be based on international standards and be in compliance with OSCE principles and commitments.” He underlined the Centre’s readiness to continue facilitating dialogue between the authorities and civil society and to provide other support for the implementation of respective legislation.

Vyacheslav Kalyuzhnyy, the Head of Office of the Ombudsman Institution in the Republic of Kazakhstan, added: “Kazakhstan is undertaking efforts to develop and adopt legislation on access to public information by the end of this year. I hope that today’s discussions will help foster this important process.”

The event is part of the OSCE Centre’s two-year project aimed at supporting the National Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Kazakhstan, implemented in co-operation with the Ombudsman Institution and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.