Kazakhstan's Kurultai backs European convention to help recover assets stashed abroadKazakhstan's Kurultai on Wednesday reviewed in two readings and passed a law ratifying the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, the parliament's constitutional legislation, judiciary and law enforcement committee said.Signed in Strasbourg on April 20, 1959, the convention governs relations between the competent authorities of member states on obtaining and providing legal assistance in criminal cases.Joining the convention will allow Kazakhstan to obtain evidence in criminal cases handled by its law enforcement and to return illegally acquired assets moved abroad. It will also speed up and improve the handling of criminal cases, including those involving transnational crime, the committee said.Under the document, Kazakhstan may execute requests to search for or seize property only if the act in question is a criminal offense in both states and complies with Kazakh law.The convention also provides for notifying consular offices of the arrest, imprisonment, detention or custody of a foreign national at that person's request.Requests for summons must be sent at least 50 days before the scheduled appearance. Requests received by Kazakhstan must be accompanied by translations into Kazakh or Russian.The Supreme Court is designated as the central authority for legal assistance requests in criminal cases before the courts, and the Prosecutor General's Office for all other criminal legal assistance requests. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX