BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION IN KAZAKHSTAN: LEGAL ASPECTS OF CITIZENS’ BIOMETRIC DATA PROCESSING

Abstract

Biometric Identifi cation Initiative is gaining momentum in Kazakhstan. For the security, facilitation and development of digital services, including public, social and commercial services, a remote identifi cation model based, among other things, on various biometric indicants will be developed. Under the implementation of Digital Kazakhstan Program which, among others, envisages a digital identifi cation mechanism, that will become a fundamental infrastructure conducive to the creation of a uniform digital landscape for the interaction and communication among fi nancial institutions, clients, authorities and business and will reliably raise the level and effi ciency of fi nancial, public and other services. The model is expected to identify clients through a database of public and commercial companies, and provide services to the authorities, business and social sector. Biometric systems are designed to identify a person by biological and physiological characteristics, such as fi ngerprints, iris, face, DNA, etc. In general, we acknowledge the proposed development of a remote identifi cation model which relies, among others, on various biometric indents. It is particularly important in the developing context of a universal digital media to provide predictability and legal certainty to this process. To fulfi ll the potential of biometric technologies to the full extent, the government needs to address protection of persons identified through such systems and maintain collection, storage and use of biometric data in line with international standards in the field of human rights and international privacy laws.