Ethics comissioner in the system of monitoring compliance with ethics by civil servants

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the system of state control over compliance with ethical principles and standards in the civil service of the Republic of Kazakhstan as a key instrument for ensuring legality, integrity, and public trust in the activities of public authorities. The significance of ethical norms in preventing corruption, conflicts of interest, and abuse of official powers is examined. Particular attention is paid to institutional mechanisms of state control, including the activities of ethics commissioners, councils, commissions, and other supervisory bodies in this field. The forms and methods of state control are analyzed, such as legal and regulatory framework, monitoring of civil servants’ conduct, conducting internal investigations, and the application of liability measures. The article also explores foreign experience in state control systems for compliance with ethical and anti-corruption standards in the civil service. Emphasis is placed on the role of prevention of ethical violations, the formation of a culture of official conduct, and the enhancement of legal and ethical awareness among civil servants. It is concluded that the effectiveness of state control largely depends on the coherence of legal, organizational, and educational measures, as well as on the transparency and accountability of the civil service. The results of the study may be used in further improving the system of ethical regulation and control mechanisms in the civil service.

1. «Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ memlekettık qyzmetı turaly» Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ 2015 jylğy 23 qaraşadağy № 416-V Zañy. URL: https://adilet.zan.kz/kaz/docs/Z1500000416 (ötınış berılgen kün: 03.03.2026) (In Kazakh)

2. «Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ memlekettık qyzmetşılerınıñ ädeptılık normalaryn jäne mınez-qūlyq qağidalaryn odan ärı jetıldıru jönındegı şaralar turaly» Qazaqstan Respublikasy Prezidentınıñ 2015 jylğy 29 jeltoqsandağy № 153 Jarlyğy. URL: https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/U1500000153 (ötınış berılgen kün: 03.03.2026) (In Kazakh)

3. «Ädep jönındegı uäkılderdıñ qyzmetınıñ keibır mäselelerı turaly» Qazaqstan Respublikasy Memlekettık qyzmet ısterı jäne sybailas jemqorlyqqa qarsy ıs-qimyl agenttıgı Törağasynyñ m.a. 2017 jylğy 4 tamyzdağy № 156 būiryğy. URL: https://adilet.zan.kz/kaz/docs/V1700015534 (ötınış berılgen kün: 03.03.2026) (In Kazakh)

4. «2023 jyldyñ I jartyjyldyğy boiynşa Ädep jönındegı uäkılınıñ jūmysynyñ esebı» / Qazaqstan Respublikasy Qarjy ministrlıgınıñ ışkı memlekettık audit komitetı. URL: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kvga/press/ article/details/131533 (ötınış berılgen kün: 04.03.2026) (In Kazakh)

5. Otchet o rabote Upolnomochennogo po jetike territorial’nogo departamenta Komiteta atomnogo i jenergeticheskogo nadzora i kontrolja Ministerstva jenergetiki Respubliki Kazahstan po Severo-Kazahstanskoj oblasti za І polugodie 2024 goda. URL: http://ishimochka.kz/index.php/2013-11-19-09-20-57/5492-otchet-o-rabote-upolnomochennogo-po-etike-za-i-polugodie-2024-goda (data obrashhenija: 04.03.2026) (In Russian)

6. Dzhanenova S. Jetika na gossluzhbe: «prezumpcija nevinovnosti», mentalitet ili missija vypolnima? Pjat’ prichin nizkoj jeffektivnosti instituta upolnomochennyh po jetike. URL: https://vlast.kz/politika/23155-etika-na-gossluzbe-prezumpcia-nevinovnosti-mentalitet-ili-missia-vypolnima.html (data obrashhenija: 04.03.2026) (In Russian)

7. Dzhanenova S., Karibaj A., Tleuhan R. (2017) Uspehi i bar’ery v prodvizhenii jetiki gosudarstvennoj sluzhby v Kazahstane: vzgljad upolnomochennyh po jetike // Memlekettіk basқaru zhәne memlekettіk қyzmet. Halyқaralyқ ғylymi-taldau zhurnal. Public administration and civil service. International scientific-analytical journal. No. 3. Р. 29–40. (In Russian)

8. Davletbaeva Zh.Zh., Zagrebin A.V. (2020) Povyshenie roli jetiki gosudarstvennyh sluzhashhih v voprosah prevencii korrupcii v Respublike Kazahstan // Vestnik Torajgyrov universitet. Serija gumanitarnaja. No. 3. Р. 149–162. (In Russian)

9. Brown L. (2020) Government Ethics: A Comparative View // Journal of Public Affairs. Vol. 35. No. 1. P. 15–30. URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pa.1864 (accessed: 05.03.2026) (In English)

10. Taylor R. (2019) Ethics in Public Administration // Public Management Review. Vol. 21. No. 2. P. 200– 215. URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14719037.2018.1514671 (accessed: 05.03.2026) (In English)

11. Karlsson P. (2021) Nordic Ethics: A Model for Governance // Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration. Vol. 25. No. 4. P. 67–85. URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/SJPA-09-2021-0057/full/html (accessed: 05.03.2026) (In English)

12. Quah J.S.T. (2010) Defying institutional failure: learning from the experiences of anti-corruption agencies in four Asian countries // Crime, Law and Social Change. Vol. 53. No. 1. P. 23–54. URL: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=_ZqqdFAAAAAJ&citation_for_view=_ZqqdFAAAAAJ:kNdYIx-mwKoC (accessed: 05.03.2026) (In English)