The procedure for applying conditional early release from serving a sentence to persons sentenced to life imprisonment under the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The article examines the legal and organizational aspects of applying conditional early release (hereinafterparole) in relation to persons sentenced to life imprisonment in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is noted that, despite the formal consolidation of this institution in criminal legislation, its practical implementation remains absent, which indicates insufficient normative and procedural clarity of the mechanism for its application. The study analyzes the provisions of criminal and penal enforcement legislation governing conditional early release and identifies problems related to the absence of specific criteria for assessing the rehabilitation of this category of convicted persons. The importance of considering psychological and social characteristics of the individual in judicial decision-making is substantiated, as well as the expediency of using criminal-psychological analysis as an assessment tool. Special attention is paid to issues of post-penitentiary control, including administrative supervision and the role of probation authorities after release. The necessity of improving the legal regulation of conditional early release is argued with regard to the principles of individualization of punishment, resocialization, and public safety. The scientific novelty of the study lies in developing a comprehensive approach to assessing the possibility of conditional early release for life-sentenced prisoners based on the integrated consideration of legal, psychological, and institutional factors.

1. Akimzhanov T.K. (2021) O nekotoryh aspektah ugolovnogo nakazanija kak jeffektivnogo instrumenta vozdejstvija na prestupnost’ i prestupnikov // Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo. V. 16(1–4). No. 3. P. 341–347. DOI: 10.33463/2687-122X.2021.16(1-4).3.341-347 (data obrashhenija: 30.01.2026) (In Russian).

2. Shnarbaev B.K. (2020) Prestuplenija nebol’shoj tjazhesti i ugolovnye prostupki: Monografija. 2-e izd., pererab. i dop. Almaty: TOO «Lantar Trejd». 295 p. (In Russian).

3. Mizanbaev A.E., Shnarbaev B.K. (2017) Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo Respubliki Kazahstan: Uchebnik. Almaty: Zhety Zhargy. 474 p. (In Russian).

4. Skakov A.B. (2023) Realizacija instituta uslovno-dosrochnogo osvobozhdenija v otnoshenii pozhiznenno osuzhdennyh // Professional’noe juridicheskoe obrazovanie i nauka. Sankt-Peterburgskij universitet Federal’noj sluzhby ispolnenija nakazanij. No. 4 (12). P. 69–72. (In Russian).

5. Akkulev A.Sh. (2011) Problemy pravoprimenenija instituta uslovno-dosrochnogo osvobozhdenija po zakonodatel’stvu Kazahstana // Molodoj uchenyj. No. 3 (26). V. 2. P. 49–51. URL: https://moluch.ru/archive/26/2788 (data obrashhenija: 30.01.2026) (In Russian).

6. Auzhanov R.B. (2023) K voprosu uslovno-dosrochnogo osvobozhdenija lic, osuzhdennyh k pozhiznennomu lisheniju svobody v Kazahstane // Problemy i perspektivy razvitija ugolovno-ispolnitel’noj sistemy Rossii na sovremennom jetape. Materialy Vserossijskoj nauchnoj konferencii obuchajushhihsja i molodyh uchenyh s mezhdunarodnym uchastiem. Part 1. Samara: Samarskij juridicheskij institut FSIN RF. 238 p. (In Russian).

7. Kulambaeva K.K. (2006) Vospitatel’naja rabota s osuzhdennymi // Dostojanie nacii: Nauch¬noe prilozhenie mezhdunarodnogo nauchno-pedagogicheskogo zhurnala «Vysshaja shkola Kazahstana». No. 1. 238 p. (In Russian).

8. Babajan S.L. (2014) Pooshhritel’nye instituty ugolovno-ispolnitel’nogo prava (teorija i praktika primenenija): dis. … d-ra jurid. nauk. M. 592 p. (In Russian).

9. Efremov I.A. (2017) Teoreticheskie i prakticheskie problemy primenenija osvobozhdenija ot nakazanija. San Francisco: B&M Publishing.126 p. (In Russian).

10. Seliverstov V.I. (2017) Pozhiznennoe lishenie svobody i pravo na osvobozhdenie: problemy pravovogo regulirovanija // Vestnik Universiteta imeni O.E. Kutafina (MGJuA). No. 7. P. 42–49. (In Russian).

11. Museeva D.N. (2019) Nekotorye voprosy sovershenstvovanija instituta uslovno-dosrochnogo osvobozhdenija po ugolovnomu zakonodatel’stvu Respubliki Kazahstan // Innovacionnye nauchnye issledovanija: teorija, metodologija, praktika. Penza. P. 180–185. (In Russian).

12. Smit D., Weatherby Pete, Creighton S. (2014) Whole Life Sentences and the Tide of European Human Rights Jurisprudence: What Is to Be Done? // Human Rights Law Review. Vol. 14. P. 59–84. DOI: 10.1093/HRLR/NGT046 https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Whole-Life-Sentences-and-the-Tide-of-EuropeanHuman-Smit-Weatherby/0bc8acc16365f54d17a8a946a4dac5ebdb21bc58 (accessed: 30.01.2026). (In English).

13. Irreducible Life Sentences and Human Dignity: Some Neglected and Difficult Issues Get access Arrow. Richard L. Lippke // Human Rights Law Review. September 2017. Vol. 17. Issue 3. P. 383–398. DOI: 10.1093/hrlr/ngx018 (accessed: 30.01.2026) (In English).

14. Ugolovnyj kodeks Respubliki Kazahstan ot 3 ijulja 2014 goda No. 226-V ZRK (s izmenenijami i dopolnenijami po sostojaniju na 09.09.2024 g.). URL: https://continent-online.com/Document/?doc_id=31575252#pos=923;140 (data obrashhenija: 23.11.2025) (In Russian).

15. Sbornik materialov onlajn-foruma «Penitenciarnaja sistema v novoj real’nosti». Astana, 8 ijulja 2021 g. URL: https://cdn.penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Kazakhstan-Forum-Report_Russ.pdf (data obrashhenija: 12.12.2025) (In Russian).

16. Zakon Respubliki Kazahstan «O probacii» ot 30 dekabrja 2016 g. No. 38-VI (s izmenenijami i dopolnenijami na 27.06.2022 g.). URL: https://online.zakon.kz/Document/?doc_id=36232217 (data obrashhenija: 01.12.2025) (In Russian).

17. Maruna S., Mann R. (2019/1) Reconciling ‘Desistance’ and ‘What Works’ HM Inspectorate of Probation. Academic Insights. URL: https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/documents/Academic-Insights-Maruna-andMann-Feb-19-final.pdf (accessed: 30.01.2026) (In English).

18. Zakon Respubliki Kazahstan «Ob administrativnom nadzore za licami, osvobozhdennymi iz mest lishenija svobody» No. 28-I ot 15.07.1996 g. v redakcii No. 223-VII ZRK ot 19.04.2023 g. (po sostojaniju na 15.11.2023 g.). URL: https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/Z960000028_ (data obrashhenija: 30.01.2026) (In Russian).