Discussions continue in Kazakhstan on amendments to the Constitution, particularly those aimed at strengthening the protection of citizens’
rights and enhancing public accountability. At a recent meeting of the Reform
Commission, members of Parliament and human rights activists proposed
enshrining citizens’ environmental responsibilities in the Basic Law. According to the Constitutional Commission, respect for nature should become not only a social
norm but also a constitutional obligation.
«By
constitutionally enshrining the importance of caring for nature, we uphold a
high level of responsibility to both present and future generations. This is clearly
reflected in Article 31. Paragraph 1 states: ‘Citizens of
the Republic of Kazakhstan must preserve nature and protect natural resources.’
Paragraph 3 notes: ‘Public officials shall be held accountable in accordance
with the law for concealing facts and circumstances that endanger the life and
health of the people,’» said
Sergey Ponomarev, Member of the Mazhilis and the Constitutional Commission.
The environmental agenda, however, is only one part of the proposed changes. Human rights initiatives are also under discussion in Astana. The Human Rights Commissioner noted that Kazakhstan has made significant progress in recent years, including the complete abolition of the death penalty and the introduction of mandatory protection for citizens in various situations. As a result, the right to life has effectively become absolute, and its constitutional entrenchment is viewed as a political and legal guarantee of the irreversibility of this course.
«When a fundamental human right is not
subject to any limitations, it is considered absolute. We sought to make it as absolute as possible, and in this case the Commission supported our proposal and recognized it as
such. This sends a strong signal that for more than 25 years we have been
moving steadily and irreversibly toward this goal. We are demonstrating that
the state does not intend to abandon its current course regarding the right to
life,» stated Artur Lastayev, Human Rights
Commissioner in Kazakhstan and Constitutional Commission Member.
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