Nazarbayev signed convention on protection of kidnapped children

Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev has signed a Law On ratification of the convention on civil-legal aspects of the international kidnapping of children, Tengrinews.kz report citing the President's press-service. The law will be published in the official media. Kazakhstan Majilis has approved the Convention on protection of kidnapped children on November 3, 2012. "Ratification of the convention will allow to establish international cooperation with the countries that participate in the convention. It will provide international protection of Kazakhstan children from illegal relocation and will create common procedures to ensure return on the children to their permanent residence country. Ratification of the convention will give Kazakhstan a real possibility to receive help in prevention of violation of children's rights related to kidnapping and will also ensure their return home," Kazakhstan Interior Minister Kalmukhanbet Kassymov said back then. Convention on protection of kidnapped children was signed in the Hague on October 25, 1980. 87 countries are the members of the agreement. The document is aimed for ensuring immediate return of children illegally moved to any of the treaty's member-countries and securing the wardship. The convention is applied to children under 16 who permanently reside in the convention member-country. According to Kazakhstan Interior Ministry, 4 criminal cases have been initiated in Kazakhstan on the international children kidnapping so far. "One child was moved to Russia and two to Kyrgyzstan. There was also one case in 2007 when Kyrgyzstan citizen kidnapped two children for ransom. He was apprehended, brought to responsibility and the children were returned," Kassymov said.