On 22-23 November in Brussels, the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan held their 14th Subcommittee on Justice and Home Affairs and their 9th Human Rights Dialogue, the European External Action said in a release.

Both meetings were held in a constructive and open manner, with discussions between the parties covering a wide range of issues.

In particular, the Subcommittee on Justice and Home Affairs allowed both parties to review political and institutional developments in Kazakhstan, notably the recent legislative developments undertaken to counter terrorism and extremism in Kazakhstan. The EU and Kazakhstan discussed the cooperation programme supporting judicial reform in Kazakhstan, implemented notably with the Council of Europe and with the United Nations. They reviewed progress in the fields of managing migration, the fight against trafficking, and discussed issues related to improving the mobility of people between Kazakhstan and the EU.

During the Human Rights Dialogue, the EU and Kazakhstan discussed the new laws and institutions related to information and expression, as well as working conditions of journalists and human rights activists in Kazakhstan. They reviewed in detail the role of the Ombudsman and of national human rights institutions, notably in monitoring places of detention. The EU recognised significant efforts by Kazakhstan in defending the rights of women and children. The EU requested more information on the newly created Ministry of Religious and Civil Society Affairs and expressed concern about the potential adverse effects of imposing bans on certain religious practices. A number of individual cases were also discussed.

In preparation for the meetings, the EU met with representatives of Kazakhstan civil society, as well as Kazakhstani and international NGOs.

The delegation of Kazakhstan was headed by Mr Akhmetzhanov, Deputy Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan. The EU delegation was headed by Mr Toivo Klaar, Head of the European External Action Service Central Asia Division.