Confidentiality of communication with convicts in the Nelson Mandela rules and the criminal executive legislation of Russia and Kazakhstan

The article examines the recommendatory provisions of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules) on the confidentiality of communication during meetings between convicted persons and prison inspectors, lawyers, and clergy. It analyzes the implementation of these standards in the criminal executive legislation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan and proposes legislative improvements. The purpose of the study is to identify the specific features of incorporating international confidentiality standards into the national systems of Russia and Kazakhstan and to develop recommendations for strengthening legal regulation. The core idea of the research is to enhance the protection of prisoners’ rights through the consistent application of international legal standards. The scientific and practical significance of the study lies in the comparative analysis of the regulation of confidential meetings, the identification of legal gaps and inconsistencies, and the justification of their elimination. The research methodology is based on comparative-legal, systemic, and analytical approaches. The findings show that Russian legislation provides more detailed regulation of confidentiality, while in Kazakhstan this content is not always clearly defined. The author emphasizes the need to unify guarantees, including visual monitoring that does not violate confidentiality.

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