Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, August 20, 2020 – Today, the Kazakhstan Judicial Program, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and implemented by ABA ROLI, in cooperation with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, organized an online roundtable discussion on criminal proceedings, including criminal cases involving extremism and terrorism.

Participants included national and international judges, representatives from government bodies and international organizations such as USAID, United Nations Development Programme, and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. They discussed possible resolutions to criminal cases involving extremism and terrorism as well as prevention strategies. The event concluded with participants agreeing to develop recommendations to improve the capacity of judges in Kazakhstan to preside over cases related to violent extremism.

John R. Tunheim, Chief United States District Judge of the U.S. District Court for District of Minnesota, shared his judicial experience in the United States on cases related to violent extremism. Similarly, Mr. Pavel Gontšarov, the Judge of the Criminal Chamber of the Tallinn Circuit Court, shared his perspective and experience in judicial consideration of cases related to violent extremism in Estonia.

The online roundtable discussion served as a platform for experts to share their experience and best practices in Kazakhstan and abroad on countering violent extremism.

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USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity, demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience. For more information, visit: https://www.usaid.gov/central-asia-regional and USAID’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/USAIDCentralAsia. ABA ROLI works with in-country partners in 60 countries to build sustainable institutions and societies that deliver justice, foster economic opportunity and ensure respect for human dignity.