Human Rights Council: 48th Session of the Universal Periodic Review, Kazakhstan

Thank you Mr Vice-President,

We warmly welcome the delegation from Kazakhstan.

We welcome Kazakhstan's signature of the Third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We welcome measures taken by Kazakhstan to strengthen human rights protections for its citizens including legal protections for women, especially for those that are victims and survivors of domestic violence.

New Zealand recommends that Kazakhstan:

1. Further strengthen legal protection for women and girls, including criminalisation of domestic violence as a stand-alone offence;
2. Address consistent reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees by police and prison guards, and investigate these allegations when reported; and
3. Repeal restrictions on freedom of expression, including legislation that penalises the "dissemination of false information", and strengthens protections for journalists.

We thank the delegation for their participation today and wish them a successful review.

Thank you Mr Vice-President.

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