Introduction
Human rights should be defined as the ability of a subject to choose a certain pattern of behaviour to pursue their normal existence and development, which is enshrined in laws, other State regulations and international law; it is conditioned by the cultural, social, economic and spiritual development of society.
The international legal mechanism for protection is one of the complex and multifaceted problems in implementing human protection in general. As argued by Ramcharan (Reference Ramcharan2021), it is characterized by aspects such as international legal, political, economic, social, cultural and other. First and foremost, the implementation of the human rights protection mechanism is a national order and an intra-State objective. According to De Stefano and Aloisi (Reference De Stefano, Aloisi, Bellace and ter Haar2019), human rights serve as an effective mechanism for motivating people’s behaviour and as a means of governing them, and they have also remained the best tool for integration organizations, as recognized in their model, namely the European Union (EU).
Following the perspective of Neuwahl and Rosas (Reference Neuwahl and Rosas2021), the main condition of the integration process, which allows connecting the interests of the State with the interests of each entity, is the reliance on the interests of citizens and their connection with the interests of the State. This provides the realization of strengthening integration at the intra-State level and, as a result, strengthening inter-State integration.
It is worth mentioning that the actual granting of rights to citizens did not start with their enshrinement in the founding treaties, but directly with the implementation of the Court of Justice of the European Communities in practice. Initially, this served as the general welfare principle in the philosophy of States, but later it was expanded and outlined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.Footnote 1 This can be interpreted as the legal ideology of European democracy.
After the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, most of the socialist achievements and social rights were borrowed from the law and practice of the EU. The ideological struggle, which concerns the aspect of citizens’ rights and freedoms, has been completed by European democracy. In the current context of integration, a radical shift is occurring in the global order. The changes relate to politics, law, economics and the very concept of a person’s value.
According to Hutabarat et al. (Reference Hutabarat, Fransisca, Ritonga, Pardede, Almas, Sikumbang, Mutiara and S.2021), allowing artificial intelligence and robotics to be applied will result in an excessive amount of human material being required for a new economic system device. Consequently, the general trend in modern society is a declining interest in the bureaucratization of internal affairs and democracy.
The EU places a high value on the importance of artificial intelligence and its associated challenges. The introduction and further development of this mechanism at national and international levels involve a comprehensive analysis of all developments in the spheres where the introduction of artificial intelligence is necessary. Among these areas, as Adnyani (Reference Adnyani2021) points out, are law enforcement and public order, prevention of legal violations, protection of human health, improvement of labour conditions and safety, diagnosis of various diseases, environmental protection, rational use of natural resources, transport safety, improvement of public administration mechanisms, improvement of tradable goods and services, etc.
The introduction of digital technologies offers opportunities for innovation, growth and job creation and will also have an impact on global competitiveness and improve the diversity of creative and cultural expressions. Nevertheless, integration processes entail certain problems, in particular, in the military application of artificial intelligence, which threatens the inalienable right of any person – the right to life.
Based on this, it is necessary to conduct a more detailed analysis of the possibilities of the integration process in the implementation of international legal aspects of the protection of human rights and freedoms, the study of this practice in the EU and the post-Soviet States.
Materials and Methods
The investigation carried out as part of the study of the international legal aspects of the protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms in the context of the integration process in the post-Soviet space involved the implementation of various methodological approaches, which reveal the theoretical and practical aspects of the study in progress. The theoretical approach provided an opportunity to explore the legal content of the categories of the right to a fair trial and the right of access to a trial, and to highlight the underlying principles and characteristics of the exercise of these rights. Using a functional approach, the features and functioning of these rights in the context of integration in the post-Soviet States have been highlighted and characterized. The dogmatic approach allowed for an analysis of the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) handling of complaints concerning violations of the rights to the exercise of justice by the principle of justice and the right to access this legal category. The method of legal hermeneutics allowed for an analysis of the legal foundations and principles of international law, and the provisions and acts of international instruments on the protection of human and civil rights were cited; this methodological approach also revealed that one of the issues to be resolved was the systematic non-enforcement of court decisions, in violation of the guaranteed right to seek the protection of their rights and interests before international bodies and organizations. By introducing the method of logical analysis into the study, it was found that a key aspect is to examine the feasibility of incorporating artificial intelligence into the judiciary’s activities to enhance the protection of fundamental human rights. The deduction method made it possible to examine the studied legal category of international legal aspects of protection of fundamental rights in integration conditions, considering the specifics of post-Soviet countries by providing characteristics of international doctrine in the law enforcement practice of these countries; the induction method offered an opportunity to characterize compliance with international law in post-Soviet States based on the current practice of rights implementation. The synthesis method, based on the theoretical and practical results obtained, allowed the identification of ways to increase the effectiveness of international legal aspects of the protection of human rights and freedoms in the integration conditions of the post-Soviet space, namely, the gradual introduction of artificial intelligence into the activities of judicial instances to provide a better and improved mechanism for the protection of fundamental rights.
Thus, this study was conducted in several stages:
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The first stage consisted of studying the categories of the right to the realization of justice according to the principle of justice and the right to access this legal category based on the norms of international legal doctrine.
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The second stage was based on the study of the law enforcement practice of the post-Soviet States and the identification of the main features and problems.
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The third stage provided an opportunity to identify, based on the results, the main recommendations and ways of improving the effectiveness of the implementation of the fundamental international legal aspects of the protection of fundamental rights in the integration conditions of the post-Soviet States.
Results
Analysing the system of guarantees of human rights and freedoms based on its constituent elements, three key components can be identified. These include procedural guarantees that are implemented in the administration of justice, in particular, in the framework of criminal proceedings; material guarantees that consist of the right of persons to compensation for damage and other losses that were caused in the case of violation of the rights of the subject; institutional guarantees that are enshrined in the provisions of normative legal acts and regulate the functioning of institutions, institutions and government agencies whose activities are aimed at protecting and protecting violated rights (Neuwahl and Rosas Reference Neuwahl and Rosas2021).
Compensation for damages caused to a person by other entities, in particular the State, serves as one of the most common means of protecting the violated rights of citizens. In today’s integrative environment and the introduction of artificial intelligence into civil circulation, the guarantee of the right of a person to compensation for the harm caused may not be fully effective until conceptual approaches are developed to amend the legislation (Završnik Reference Završnik2020). These innovations should cover the range of issues that will designate the group of persons who are responsible for the harm caused by the artificial intelligence unit, as well as when realizing offences with the unit; define the types of harm caused that are subject to compensation; forms of compensation, methods and types of compensation for the harm caused.
The significance of this range of issues was illustrated in the Report of the European Parliament for 2017; according to this regulatory act, recommendations were provided to the European Commission on Civil Law regulation of robotics, namely, it was determined that the more autonomous robots are, the less they can be considered a simple tool in the hands of other persons (European Commission: Directorate-General for Communication 2018). It should be noted that as a result, the question was raised about the sufficiency of the usual rules on liability, or whether there is a need to introduce new principles and rules for ensuring legal liability for the actions and inaction of artificial intelligence in the implementation of the mechanism for the protection of rights.
In general, the European Ombudsman (Reference Ombudsman2022) is an effective guarantee of an institutional commitment to the protection of fundamental human rights, transparency and accountability in the modernization and use of artificial intelligence at the EU State level. Its role is notable because, where decisions are not legally binding, it can contribute to the protection of human rights through the development of good governance principles at the supranational level. It is worth noting that the Ombudsman views breaches of governance as violations of both formally defined legal precepts and important legal principles.
The mandate of the European Ombudsman enables it to protect the rights and interests and principles of competent management in the development and use of artificial intelligence systems by ensuring transparency in decision-making by EU bodies, including the protection of the rights of persons to receive information and access to documents on developments in the area of artificial intelligence and robotics and their consequences; to investigate the activities of EU bodies in this segment and provide an assessment of the effectiveness of the implementation and enforcement of regulations; to ensure the accountability of EU bodies, the establishment of clarity and consistency in their procedures of an administrative nature; to issue soft-law provisions that contain provisions for actors in the digital market and artificial intelligence; and to initiate investigations and initiatives to find systemic problems in the rules and procedures for the implementation of relevant projects (European Ombudsman Reference Ombudsman2022).
The European Ombudsman’s work in ensuring the protection of basic human rights, which is carried out in the exercise of citizens’ rights to good administration, contributes to helping the EU choose the right course of action in a highly dynamic economic, social, political and legal environment and provides an opportunity to resolve systemic problems in the regulation of the human rights protection mechanism through the use of artificial intelligence (European Ombudsman Reference Ombudsman2022).
Another very effective institutional guarantee for the protection of human rights and freedoms is the European Data Protection Board. The establishment of this Council is provided by Regulation 2016/679, which regulates the protection of natural persons when processing personal data and also includes a chapter of each EU Member State supervisory authority; the European Data Protection Board is an independent EU body, and the European Commission has no voting rights in this body.Footnote 2
Article 70 of Regulation 2016/679 contains provisions according to which the European Data Protection Board is empowered to monitor and guarantee the correct application of the provisions provided for in Regulation 2016/679; to examine the various categories of issues that relate to the application of Regulation 2016/679; to implement the issue of guidelines, recommendations, standards of practice that concern the application of measures within the competence of supervisory authorities and set administrative fines for breaches of Regulation 2016/679; assisting in the development of standards of conduct and the establishment of certification mechanisms for data protection, the implementation of accreditation of certification bodies and their regular verification; issuing conclusions on standards of conduct, the purpose of which is the proper application of Regulation 2016/679, which are developed at the EU level.Footnote 3
Regulation 2016/679 and the system of collection, transfer and use of personal data enshrined in it secured the confidentiality of personal information for citizens.Footnote 4 It is worth mentioning, however, that the more extensive introduction of artificial intelligence into the sphere of ensuring the protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms will require improvements and modifications to the existing rules.
Other bodies provide institutional safeguards for the protection of rights in the EU and have a narrower mandate, for example, consular and diplomatic representations of the State and pre-trial dispute settlement systems.Footnote 5 The EU experience has thus provided an opportunity to analyse a new mechanism for implementing human rights protection, namely through the introduction of artificial intelligence into the complex system of normative regulation of the issue.
An analysis of Article 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan shows that Kazakhstan is a State that adheres to the foundations of democracy and socialism, and the highest social value is the individual, their life and fundamental rights.Footnote 6 Article 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan stipulates that international treaties ratified by the Republic of Kazakhstan take precedence over its legislation.Footnote 7
Kazakhstan’s active cooperation with the United Nations (UN) has enabled effective cooperation with many leading UN agencies, including the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other organizations in the context of involving UN assistance of a technical, expert and financial nature in Kazakhstan.
Distinctively dynamic in financial nature, the activities of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are noteworthy. By becoming a fully fledged member of the OSCE in 1992, the Republic of Kazakhstan is committed to adhering to all standards and norms that the OSCE Member States have adopted.Footnote 8 For example, in 2010 the Republic of Kazakhstan was duly trusted at a high level to take over the chairmanship of this organization; this granted the State not only a higher profile as an active participant and fully fledged member of the OSCE, but also as an initiator of integration processes in the Eurasian space and as an organizer of the historic Astana Summit.Footnote 9
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has a special international monitoring mechanism that oversees the implementation of the CIS Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; to improve the effectiveness of the international mechanism for the protection of human rights and freedoms, Kazakhstan should ratify the Convention.Footnote 10
Proceeding from the above analysis, Kazakhstan’s modern policy has established basic mechanisms for the protection of rights, which are based on international principles and norms. To improve the effectiveness of the current mechanism, certain recommendations should be set out. Thus, it is necessary to create a regulatory framework for the activities of State bodies, which is related to the provision and protection of fundamental rights based on principles of a legal nature that will promote proportionality and certainty of their limitations; the creation of means of protection and procedures that regulate the relationship between a person and the State based on concepts and principles of international law in the field of citizens’ rights; reforming public and State institutions to ensure and protect human rights and freedoms to bring them in line with Kazakhstan’s international obligations and international best practice; and promoting a culture of lawfulness and transparency based on the principle of respect for human dignity and the priority of protecting citizens’ rights and interests.
The fundamental legal document that governs the protection of human rights and freedoms in Ukraine is the Constitution of Ukraine; it defines the inviolability and inalienable nature of human rights while noting that their list is not exhaustive.Footnote 11 According to the Constitution of Ukraine, the body competent to exercise parliamentary control over the observance of basic human rights is the Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights and its representatives in the territorial subdivisions; this is an institution for the protection of human rights of a non-judicial nature.Footnote 12 The powers granted apply to absolutely all cases of violations of the civil rights of individuals by State bodies. The Commissioner for Human Rights has the right to demand the initiation of administrative proceedings against civil servants who have violated the rights and interests of individuals; they also have the right to monitor the observance of these rights in penitentiary institutions, the army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
One of the most effective means of implementing the mechanism of protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms is the right to appeal to the ECtHR; this is because Ukraine is obliged to comply with its decisions and to provide such decisions the status of sources of law, which the courts shall use in resolving such disputes.Footnote 13 This suggests that recourse to the ECtHR to protect one’s rights and interests acts as a form of self-protection and is transformed into a form of such protection for other individuals.
The Constitution of Ukraine guarantees the right to exercise the protection of one’s rights both in international judicial instances and in the bodies of international organizations of which Ukraine is a Member State.Footnote 14 However, the basis for a revision of national court decisions is a violation of Ukraine’s international obligations only by those international courts whose jurisdiction has been established by Ukraine. Notably, it is highly desirable to extend the application of this ground to cases in which Ukraine has been found in breach of international obligations by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the UN Human Rights Committee.
Thus, based on the above, it can be concluded that the experience of post-Soviet States such as Kazakhstan and Ukraine in implementing the human rights protection mechanism has been very effective. Nevertheless, to improve the level of protection of human rights and freedoms, it is worth gradually introducing artificial intelligence into the work of the courts in this category of disputes. Subsequent studies will focus on the prospects and limitations of artificial intelligence as a mechanism for the protection of rights and freedoms in post-Soviet States.
Discussion
In the modern world, human rights are regulated by the norms of international law. The process of detailing principles and norms of an international character is accompanied by the establishment of an international mechanism for their protection. As Frick (Reference Frick, Sajó, Uitz and Holmes2022) points out, its capacity consists in monitoring the implementation by States of universally recognized norms and principles in this area and applying appropriate measures for their violation. That is, international legal control is expressed as verification of the implementation of the obligations that States have undertaken and only applies in cases where it is not possible to ascertain the true state of human rights by other means.
The Declaration on the Principles of International Law contains such basic principles as the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means; the non-use of force or the threat thereof; the sovereign equality of States; non-intervention in matters which are within the domestic jurisdiction of a State; the duty to cooperate with other States according to the UN Charter; and the fulfilment in good faith of obligations assumed by countries under the UN Charter.Footnote 15 The Final Act of the Helsinki Conference on Security and Cooperation added to this list such principles as respect for human rights and freedoms, the inviolability of borders and the territorial integrity of States.Footnote 16
According to Smith (Reference Smith2022), the special feature of principles of international law is that States parties are obliged to abide by them rigorously, international legal instruments must be signed by heads of State and ratified by parliament. This enables a more effective and correct implementation of the mechanism to monitor compliance with international law and ensure its supremacy. The International Bill of Human Rights is an important practical tool for the international human rights mechanism; it comprises four major instruments, namely the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.Footnote 17
According to Peters and Askin (Reference Peters and Askin2020), the provisions of the Universal Declaration are developed in many international legal instruments, such as the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the Convention on the Political Rights of Women, the European Social Charter and others, which means that the norms regulated by this international legal instrument are generally accepted and prevail over others.
The provisions of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provided for the establishment of a Human Rights Committee.Footnote 18 The main tasks of the Committee are to receive and consider reports from States parties on the measures they have taken to implement the rights outlined in the Covenant and to study progress in analysing these measures; to consider, following certain procedure, communications from any of the States parties regarding the non-fulfilment of obligations by another State party; to transmit the States parties’ reports and comments of the general order as the Committee may deem appropriate; and to consider allegations from any subjects who claim to be victims of violations by another State of their rights.
The ECtHR is particularly noteworthy when analysing international bodies for the protection of individuals’ rights. This body is based on the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; it examines complaints of an individual nature from citizens of Contracting States about violations of their rights under the Convention;Footnote 19 according to Anderson et al. (Reference Anderson, Foster, Lambert and McAdam2019), international cooperation between States within the Council of Europe and the UN has resulted in the establishment of an international monitoring mechanism to oversee States’ compliance with their obligations to protect individual rights, a very significant achievement in human rights regulation at the international level. Through the exercise of control and oversight over the implementation of the human rights obligations imposed on States, there is a more effective and sustainable mechanism for protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of subjects.
As Hossain et al. (Reference Hossain, Besselink, Selassie and Völker2021) point out, it has become a common practice at the UN to set up specialized commissions of enquiry to examine specific situations and investigate systematic, gross and mass violations of human rights; this allows for a more detailed classification of the offences, tracing their causal links and developing a system of prevention.
Under Article 56 of the UN Charter, to promote the observance of citizens’ rights, States are obliged to act in cooperation with the UN, both individually and jointly; the latter refers to the capabilities and obligations of the State to take measures to implement a protection mechanism, cooperating and consulting with the UN.Footnote 20 Issa (Reference Issa2020) states that the activities of convention bodies, which are established based on several international agreements, are of great importance for the implementation of the human rights protection mechanism; for example, such as the Slavery Convention, the Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, the International Convention on the Suppression of Trafficking in Women, the Geneva Convention on the Prohibition of Trafficking in Women and Children, and Convention for the Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and Exploitation of Prostitution by Third Parties. Ratification of these international legal instruments by some States broadens the range of fundamental human rights and freedoms and ensures their inviolability and protection.
The Declaration of the Rights of the Child contains a provision according to which a special form of protection should be accorded to children, whereby they should be afforded special protection of an international character against all possible abuse and attacks.Footnote 21 This led to the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.Footnote 22 This Convention places an obligation on States to protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse.
An analysis of Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 7 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights establishes that no one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.Footnote 23 Akyuz (Reference Akyuz2021) argues that in modern conditions, international practice provides citizens with the opportunity to enjoy the right to direct access to judicial and non-judicial bodies of an international nature; this access is provided for by regional and universal agreements, domestic legislation and is one of the principles of international law.
A very distinctive method of protecting rights and interests is the measures against threats to peace, carried out only with the authorization of the UN Security Council to prevent or cease military confrontations, the consequences of which can result in numerous deaths and massive violations of fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens. The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms established the ECtHR and the European Commission of Human Rights, which are empowered to consider individual and State complaints.Footnote 24 Any State that joins the Council of Europe must accede to this Convention and make the appropriate legislative changes, which are derived from the case law generated by ECtHR judgments. Failure to comply with decisions may lead to negative consequences in the form of suspension of membership or outright expulsion from the organization.
Thus, the mechanism for the protection and defence of human rights is a system of interlocking elements in the form of national and international rules, means and tools which guarantee the conditions for the normal functioning of the individual. The structure of this mechanism includes such elements as international agreements, legitimate activities of legal entities, publicity, public norms and opinion, international and national legal principles and norms, control and actions to support peace. This mechanism is universal. The specifics of the development of the international legal mechanism for the protection of human rights and interests are that its norms are created as a result of the coordination of the interests of various States.
Large-scale integration processes are currently in progress, affecting the political and economic systems of many States around the world, resulting in radical changes in inter-State relations and convergence of the systemic structure of many countries. Based on this, the continued effectiveness of the implemented international mechanism for the protection of rights and freedoms will depend on the flexibility to introduce digitized methods into this segment of activity. Further studies will focus on perspectives and possible limitations of artificial intelligence in ensuring the protection and defence of rights and freedoms.
Conclusions
By conducting a scientific study of the international legal mechanism for the protection of human rights and freedoms in the integration process of post-Soviet States, it was found that the current policy of ensuring the implementation of this mechanism works very effectively; however, to improve the quality it is advisable to introduce artificial intelligence in the work of State structures gradually.
Human rights are an effective mechanism for motivating and governing people’s behaviour and a means of public administration. The main condition for an integration process to connect the interests of the State with those of each actor was identified as the primacy of the interests of citizens and the possibility to connect them with the interests of the State. This allows for greater integration at the intra-State level, resulting in greater inter-State integration.
The analysis has shown that Kazakhstan’s modern policy has established basic mechanisms for the protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms that are guided by international legal principles and norms. Several recommendations have been suggested to improve the effectiveness of the current mechanism. Among the measures identified is the creation of a legislative basis for the activities of public authorities that is linked to guaranteeing the protection of the rights and freedoms of individuals, the establishment of a system of protections and procedures that regulate the relationship between the individual and the State based on internationally recognized concepts and principles of international human rights law and other recommendations.
The experience of Ukraine has shown that one of the most effective ways to implement the mechanism for protecting citizens’ rights and freedoms is to have the right to apply to the ECtHR. Accordingly, Ukraine is obliged to abide by its decision and also to accord such decisions the status of sources of law to be used by the courts in resolving such disputes. That is, an appeal to the ECtHR to protect one’s rights and interests acts as a form of self-defence and allows one to act as a form of self-defence for other individuals.
Nevertheless, to improve the level of protection of human rights and freedoms, it is worth gradually introducing artificial intelligence into the work of the courts in this category of disputes. Subsequent studies will focus on the prospects and limitations of artificial intelligence as a mechanism for protecting rights and freedoms in State structures in post-Soviet countries.
Acknowledgements
None.
Competing interests
The authors declare there are no competing interests.
Lyazzat B. Nyssanbekova, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Law at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Her academic interests lie in the fields of international private and public law, with special emphasis on the evolving legal mechanisms within the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the international legal personality of individuals. She has authored numerous publications addressing the legal challenges and developments in WTO dispute resolution, the rights of individuals in the context of international criminal justice, and legal approaches to refugee and migrant protection. Her research further explores the legal framework of ecological inter-State systems and their regulation under international law.
Zulfiya M. Baimagambetova, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of International Law at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. She specializes in international trade and economic law, focusing particularly on the legal regulation of agricultural markets under the auspices of the WTO. Her research examines sustainable development in the context of global trade, including dispute resolution mechanisms and the application of WTO agreements to grain trade conflicts. She is the author of several studies that contribute to the understanding of how legal norms influence food security, economic cooperation and global trade governance.
Zhanat Zhailau, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Legal Disciplines at Almaty University. His scholarly focus is on international law, legal pedagogy and human rights education. In recent years, he has explored theoretical and practical issues related to legal awareness among youth, as well as the development of human rights concepts in international legal contexts. He has also conducted interdisciplinary research on the rights of the child, with a particular interest in the African continent’s legal framework for child protection and international security concerns related to vulnerable populations.
Dilyana Abdilda, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Constitutional, International Law and Customs Affairs at the Eurasian Law Academy named after D.A. Kunayev. Her academic work primarily addresses the intersection of constitutional and civil law within the higher education system of the Republic of Kazakhstan. She has contributed to legal scholarship through her analysis of State–legal regulation mechanisms and the civil law dimensions of academic administration and reform. Her research supports the modernization of educational governance and the legal structures underpinning institutional autonomy in higher education.
Yerik B. Akhmetov, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Jurisprudence at Kazakhstan University of Innovative and Telecommunication Systems. His academic endeavours focus on public law, administrative procedures and the political rights of marginalized groups. He has conducted extensive research on the participation of persons with disabilities in the sociopolitical life of Kazakhstan, the principles of judicial activism in administrative proceedings, and the legislative frameworks that support inclusive democratic processes. He is also involved in advancing methodologies for the scientific support of legislative activity, contributing to the development and hierarchical structuring of administrative legal norms.
