06.11.2007
In partnership with the Kazakhstan Union of Advocates and the Almaty City Bar, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative co-sponsored and helped present a regional training session for advocates who work in Central Asia. The forum took place in the joint training center of the Union of Advocates City Bar on May 28, 2007. Approximately 21 lawyers participated. Funding for the event was provided through ABA Rule of Law Initiative Regional Advocacy Program grants from the United States Department of Justice and the United States Agency for International Development.
The theme of the training was “Criminal Advocacy: Common Experiences, Common Problems.” The advocates shared information on the state of the law in their nations, and were able to recognize that despite the differences in codes and procedures, their professional work was similar. They also discussed issues and problems that were common to their experiences—and learned how their colleagues had successfully resolved them.
Madina Mukusheva, Director of the Training Center, introduced the Center and its program to the advocates. The morning session was moderated by Gulnara Baygazina, a member of the Presidium of the Almaty City Bar, who was joined by Ivan Abrams, technical legal advisor with the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in Almaty. Daniyar Kanafin, a member of the Presidium of the Union of Advocates, followed with a discussion about the status of criminal justice advocacy in Kazakhstan, and was later joined by presentations and discussions from other regional lawyers.
In the afternoon, Kazakhstan juvenile justice expert Svetlana Vitkovskaya led an open forum about the theory and practice of juvenile advocacy, and ABA Rule of Law Initiative staff attorney Zhan Kunserkin facilitated the summary and open forum that concluded the day.
The event was planned and organized by ABA Rule of Law Initiative staff attorney Nozima Medeubayeva.
For more information, please contact Heather Safrank at <[email protected]>.