Kazakh MP pushes for absolute right to life in new constitution
A Kazakh MP has pushed for stronger legal protections on the right to life in the country's upcoming constitution. Sergei Ponomaryov proposed an absolute ban on the death penalty alongside a clear constitutional guarantee against arbitrary deprivation of life.
Ponomaryov's proposal includes a specific clause: 'The right to life is absolute and inalienable for every person. No one may arbitrarily deprive a person of life.' He argued that such a measure would align Kazakhstan with fundamental principles of justice.
The MP also cited support from multiple human rights organisations. These include the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, the Coalition Against the Death Penalty, Amnesty International, and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. Their backing reinforces calls for a constitutional ban on capital punishment.
Ponomaryov's stance mirrors that of Human Rights Commissioner Artur Lastayev, who previously urged explicit recognition of the right to life as absolute. However, debates over the death penalty remain contentious in Kazakhstan, especially following high-profile cases of violent crime.
If adopted, the proposed changes would mark a significant shift in Kazakhstan's legal framework. The abolition of the death penalty and an absolute right to life would represent a major step in the country's constitutional reform process.
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