An international conference was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan between 27 and 30 October 1999, on the subject of 'Alternatives to imprisonment in Kazakhstan'. The focus of discussion at the conference was the issue of how to implement and improve the effectiveness of criminal sanctions that do not involve imprisonment.

The conference was organised by Penal Reform International, in co-operation with Soros Foundation Kazakhstan/the Open Society Institute, the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law and the Constitutional and Legal Policy Institute, Budapest (COLPI).