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Kazakhstan|life|July 22, 2016 / 09:28 AM
Public hearings on libel and slander legislation held in Kazakhstan

AKIPRESS.COM - 255496 Some 25 Supreme and Regional Court judges, lawyers, journalists, media experts as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps and civil society in Astana participated in public hearings on the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan’s Decree on the “Application of legislation on protecting the honor, dignity and business reputation in judicial practice”.

Participants reviewed current legal precedents on defamation-related cases, discussed national legislation and its compliance with international standards as well as recommendations to the Supreme Court’s draft decree.

“The OSCE advocates for the full decriminalization of defamation and the fair consideration of such cases in dispute-resolution bodies or civil courts,” said Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Program Office in Astana. “This is crucial to promoting freedom of the media, to effectively expose and fight corruption, and to eliminate the excessive protection of senior officials from legitimate public criticism.”

Bolat Kalyanbekov, Head of the Information Support Division of the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, said: "Today's public hearings create a precedent for additional expert understanding of regulatory decrees. This is a relatively new format for meetings and it allows us all to hear expert opinions and conclusions on the issue, as well as to receive comprehensive recommendations on it.”

The event was supported by the OSCE Program Office in Astana in cooperation with the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Eurasia Foundation for Central Asia and the International Fund for the Protection of the Freedom of Speech Adil Soz in order to promote media freedom and freedom of expression in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

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