STUDY VISIT OF STUDENTS TO INSTITUTION NO. 17 OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE CRIMINAL EXECUTIVE SYSTEM OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

Within the framework of the concluded agreement on cooperation between the S. Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University and the Department of the penal enforcement system in East Kazakhstan region was organised an introductory study visit of the 4th year students of the educational programme “Jurisprudence” to the Institution №17 of the Criminal Executive System of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The initiator of this form of cooperation was an associate professor of the department “Jurisprudence” East Kazakhstan University, a member of the Public Council on the activities of internal affairs bodies of Kazakhstan Kuat Khajumukhanovich Rakhimberdin. Doctor of Law Rakhimberdin teaches the course “Criminal Executive Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan” and emphasises the importance of students having the opportunity to learn in practice about reforms in the penal system, aimed at humanising criminal policy and protecting human rights and freedoms. The teachers’ initiative was supported by the management of the Department of Penal Correctional System of the East Kazakhstan region, which issued a special order allowing future lawyers to visit the penitentiary institution.

The management of Institution No. 17 organised the visit professionally: the students were given a detailed briefing on the visiting procedure and safety measures. During the visit, Lieutenant Colonel of Justice Arman Katranov, Acting Head of Institution #17, gave an informative lecture on the history of the institution and the procedure of serving sentences in the medium security colony. In his speech Arman Katranov spoke in detail about the advantages of serving in the bodies and institutions of the penal enforcement system of Kazakhstan and invited students to serve in the penal enforcement system of Kazakhstan.

Professor Rakhimberdin also told the students about the forms of public control in the penal system of Kazakhstan, with special emphasis on the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture.

On behalf of the students, Diana Odarbayeva and Tamerlan Smagulov expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the work of the institution.

Thus, the students’ study visit to Institution No. 17 allowed them to solve several important tasks: firstly, the students consolidated in practice the knowledge gained on criminal enforcement law, secondly, they learned about the reforms in the penal system of Kazakhstan, and thirdly, the staff of the penal correction system demonstrated their openness and commitment to the humanisation of the country’s criminal policy.