British lawyers were provided with information on the course of political reforms, voiced in the Message of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the people of Kazakhstan dated March 16 of this year, part of which is a large-scale constitutional reform. The proposed package of amendments to the Constitution aims, among other things, at moving away from the excessive concentration of presidential powers, strengthening the parliament, modernizing the electoral process, strengthening party activity and local self-government, protecting the fundamental rights of citizens, and strengthening the role of civil society institutions and the media.
British legal experts positively assessed the reforms aimed at building the New Kazakhstan, noting that, if they are successfully implemented, Kazakhstan will reach a new level of modernization.
“We welcome the reforms in Kazakhstan and the forthcoming referendum, the results of which we will be glad to know in the near future,” said Felicity Cullen, Queen's Counsel and Chair of the Bar Association.
On the issue of trial by jury, she also stated that this practice had existed in the English common law system for many centuries, and stressed that “from our point of view, the more cases are tried by jury, the better. We are pleased with the introduction of this novelty in Kazakhstan and will monitor the progress in the new system.” She also added that online streaming of trials will certainly lead to greater transparency and greater public confidence in the judiciary.
