In its VNR from 2019, Kazakhstan reported that public authorities and civil society organizations partnered to work towards the implementation of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) against torture.The NPM, established in 2014 under the “Ombudsman” model, provides a wide range of powers and independence to members of the civil society in conducting preventative visits to closed government institutions.

To date, 2,500 preventive visits to various closed institutions have been carried out, with the mechanism proving to be effective in preventing torture. It has now been expanded to include children’s and social institutions. The substantive recommendations of NPM participants have contributed to the modernization of the law enforcement system and the implementation of institutional reforms for the rule of law.