23.05.2019

Today, May 23, 2019, President of the Yerzhan Tatishev Foundation, Dana Zharikova, took part in a working meeting organized by the International Center for Non-Profit Law (ICNL) with representatives of NGOs, in which representatives of government bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan also participated. The meeting was dedicated to discussing approaches to the implementation of the FATF recommendation regarding the activities of NGOs (the FATF is an intergovernmental organization that develops world standards in the field of combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism, and also assesses the compliance of national systems with these standards). In addition, the meeting discussed amendments to the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan on charity issues and recommendations for improving the mechanisms of state social order that are being prepared for adoption.

During the meeting, approaches of government branches and legislative initiatives on the implementation of the FATF’s recommendation, which will directly affect the activities of NGOs, moreover, in a negative way, were voiced. Zhovtis E.A., Director of the Kazakhstan Bureau of Human Rights and Rule of Law, emphasized in his speech that the FATF recommendations do not necessarily envisage the adoption of new laws or amendments to the legislation, if this is not necessary and, of course, do not provide for tightening control over NGOs and civil society, on the contrary, involve the protection by the state of those NGOs that may be vulnerable and can be used in money laundering and terrorist financing.

The representative of the Committee on Civil Society Affairs of the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MIOR RK) Gulbara Sultanova spoke about the amendments being developed to the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan on charity issues. During the discussion, participants expressed criticism regarding the proposed amendments and, as part of the work in small groups, discussed and developed recommendations for improving legislation related to both charitable activities and the state social order.