VACCINATION AGAINST COVID-19 IN KAZAKHSTAN: RIGHT OR OBLIGATION?

This article touches upon the issues of conducting a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 within the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the relationship of rights and obligations arising in this regard. Goal. The article aims at analyzing the provisions of the national legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the norms of international human rights law related to vaccination issues. The author analyzes the problem of vaccination from the point of view of its legal obligation and possible legal consequences in case of refusal to receive the vaccine. The analysis is carried out through the prism of a number of rights and freedoms, and applicable criteria for their restriction. Methods. A number of methods were used in the course of the study. The formal legal method is applied within the framework of the analysis of relevant legal norms (the right to life, the right to privacy, the right to health). The study also uses a deductive method, a statistical method (within the framework of using a summary of data on the incidence and spread of COVID-19, as well as vaccination rates), a method of studying and summarizing of the information. Results. Over the course of study, it was found that conducting a general campaign to immunize the population of Kazakhstan from COVID-19 was a timely step in the fight against coronavirus infection. Absence of evidence about the possible negative impact of the vaccines on human health, as well as the need to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of human life and health and, as a result, the ability to enjoy rights and freedoms, prompted the state to carry out vaccination among the population. In addition, as shown in the study, a number of vaccines from different manufacturers were presented to the population of Kazakhstan, which contributed to its free choice. Conclusions. Based on the analysis of legal information, it was concluded that the issue of obtaining a vaccine should be resolved directly by the person who receives it. Coercion in this light does not seem to correspond to the norms of human rights law. Mandatory vaccination in Kazakhstan was legal since it was based on relevant legal norms. At the same time, a person who refuses to receive a vaccine for one reason or another should be prepared for the possible restrictions of his individual rights and freedoms in order to preserve the life and health of others as well as reduce the spread of the disease.