A/HRC/14/37 324. The Russian Federation welcomed the initiative of Kazakhstan to expand its treaty obligations in the area of human rights and implement relevant measures at a national level, and facilitate a constructive and non-confrontational dialogue on human rights in international forums. It noted Kazakhstan’s high level of cooperation throughout the process of the universal periodic review. Such cooperation was evident both during the discussion of Kazakhstan’s report in the Working Group and the Government’s response to the recommendations made by States. This was a sign of Kazakhstan’s decisiveness to strengthen respect for all categories of human rights. 3. General comments made by other relevant stakeholders 325. Human Rights Watch stated that a number of developments of the past four months, involving arrests and prosecutions of journalists, civil society activists and opposition party members underscored the urgent need for Kazakhstan to implement recommendations made during the review. It called on Kazakhstan to put an immediate end to the harassment of journalists and civil society activists and to implement without further delay meaningful reforms, as pledged by accepting recommendations made during the universal periodic review process. It welcomed Kazakhstan’s acceptance of recommendations regarding implementation of the national human rights plan of action, and urged the Government to it fully, including by allocating the necessary budget for its implementation. 326. The International Federation for Human Rights supported the recommendations made by a number of countries requesting Kazakhstan to protect the rights of migrants, and in particular to sign and ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. While referring to the violations found during the fact-finding mission in Kazakhstan, the Federation recommended that Kazakhstan ensure that the new law on migration, currently under preparation, was in full conformity with international law. It also recommended that Kazakhstan review the relevant legal provisions and practices with a view to ensuring strict compliance with the principle of non-refoulement. Since 2005, many Uzbek and Uyghur asylum seekers and refugees had been forcibly returned to the countries from which they had fled persecution. It indicated that some provisions of the regional agreements, such as the Minsk Convention and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, contradicted the principle of non-refoulement. 327. Amnesty International welcomed Kazakhstan’s support of the recommendations relating to strengthening safeguards against torture, and called on the Government to give immediate effect to those recommendations. It remained concerned, however, at the persistent allegations of torture or other ill-treatment of individuals deprived of their liberty by security officers, who often failed to respect current legislation with the requirement to register detainees within three hours of their deprivation of liberty. It also urged Kazakhstan to accept the recommendation to abolish the death penalty and to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 328. Interfaith International indicated that Kazakhstan was a multi-ethnic and multicultural cosmopolitan society. It congratulated Kazakhstan on taking into account the recommendations made during the universal periodic review, as well as on the progress made with regard to the Millennium Development Goals. It noted the Government’s cooperation with special procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies, and the efforts to ensure the right to education and health. It encouraged Kazakhstan to establish a national commission for human rights in accordance with the Paris Principles, and to improve the independence of judges and the media. 329. Reporters sans Frontières stated that, despite its chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Kazakhstan had not demonstrated any improvements in ensuring the press freedom. Independent or opposition press was frequently subject to excessive fines and closure. It stated that such forms of disguised 98 GE.12-17781