Kazakhstan’s Qurultay on Wednesday ratified the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports. The draft law was presented to the Qurultay by Deputy Prosecutor General Galymzhan Koigeldiyev. The convention was signed in Strasbourg in 1959.
According to Koigeldiyev, Kazakhstan has been working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2001 to join the agreement. We have been working together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2001 to join this convention. In June last year, we received an invitation to accede to it, he said.
Under the convention, participating countries undertake to provide each other with mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, subject to the conditions set out in the agreement. In accordance with Kazakhstan’s reservations and declarations, the country will be able to execute requests for searches or the seizure of property only when the relevant act constitutes a criminal offense under the laws of both parties and is also punishable under Kazakhstan’s legislation.
The convention will also allow Kazakhstani authorities to notify consular offices when a foreign national is arrested, imprisoned, taken into custody or detained, if the person requests such notification. Requests to serve a summons requiring a person to appear must be sent at least 50 days before the scheduled appearance date.
Requests sent to Kazakhstan must be accompanied by translations into Kazakh or Russian. Kazakhstan has designated the following central authorities to send and receive requests for legal assistance: The Supreme Court - for requests concerning criminal cases being considered by the courts; The Prosecutor General’s Office - for all other requests for legal assistance in criminal matters.
Kazakhstan’s accession to the convention is expected to strengthen international cooperation in criminal investigations. It will enable Kazakhstani law enforcement agencies to obtain evidence for criminal cases and facilitate the return of assets illegally acquired and transferred abroad.
The agreement is also expected to enhance Kazakhstan’s cooperation with other member states in combating crime. Earlier, Qazinform reported the Kazakh Qurultay had approved the ratification of the Framework Partnership Agreement with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).