Kazakh Prison Officers Studied the Basics of Prison Security Audit in Prison Facilities

10-12 July 2019, Burabay, Kazakhstan, - A workshop on basics of Prison Security Audit in prison facilities was organized in Kazakhstan aimed at strengthening safety and security mechanisms in accordance with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).

The workshop was organized by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in the framework of the joint UN initiative "Supporting the Management of Violent Extremist Prisoners and the Prevention of Radicalization to Violence in Prisons". The workshop was attended by members of the Working Group on strengthening  safety and security mechanisms in prison facilities including data collection and information-sharing with law enforcement agencies.

This working group was established within implementation of the Country Workplan of joint UN Programme endorsed as of March 26, 2019 and consists of representatives of the Prison Committee  and relevant law enforcement agencies who developed a Checklist of Prison Security Audit  based on knowledge and skills gained during the workshop and pilot it in the selected prison facility.

The workshop trainers were Mr. Shah Salman Khan, International Consultant of the Executive Directorate UN Counter-Terrorism Committee, and Mr. Bogatyr Saparbayev, UNOCD Consultant for Central Asia.

"The Nelson Mandela Rules provide us a guidance on minimum standards acceptable for management of prisons and treatment of prisoners. Treating prisoners humanely with respect to inherent dignity and value as human beings is a rule#1 of the Nelson Mandela Rules that safeguards creation of safe and humane prisons. Let us remind ourselves that respect for rule of law and human rights are essential elements of counter violent extremism not only in the prisons but in the general society as well. Today UNODC and the Executive Directorate of UN Counter-Terrorism Committee (UN CTED) are joined to provided assistance to Kazakhstan in developing the Checklist for Prison Security Audit aimed at assessing existing safety and security system of pilot prison and develop concrete recommendations on its improvement", pointed out by Mr Shah Salman Khan .

Mr. Sansyzbay Bakulin, Chief Expert of the Legal Provisions Unit of the Prison Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan expressed gratitude to UNODC for organization of the workshop and stressed on the relevance and importance of safety and security mechanisms in prison facilities that should be based on comprehensive and systematic approach.

In December 2018, Kazakhstan recognizing the growing threat of extremism and terrorism, was one of the first countries to join the Global UN initiative "Supporting the Management of Violent Extremist Prisoners and the Prevention of Radicalization to Violence in Prisons" along with other beneficiary countries such as Tunisia and Uganda. The programme is implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Counter-Terrorism Center and the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, with the financial support of the European Union((USD 4,7 Mio.)), the UN Office of Counter Terrorism (USD 3,0 Mio) and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (USD 1,4 Mio.).

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For more information,

please contact Ms. Madina Sarieva,

International Coordinator at UNODC Nur-Sultan

at + 7 776 475 7797 or madina.sarieva[at]un.org