Sultan Sartaev – Lawyer, Politician, and Patriot

Today, on 15 October, Sultan Sartaevich Sartaev – Doctor of Law, Professor, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan, one of the patriarchs of the jurisprudence of Kazakhstan – would have turned 93. We recall the milestones in the biography and achievements of the outstanding scientist who left his bright trace in the history of Al-Farabi KazNU and Kazakh legal science.

Sultan Sartaev was born in Yana-Kurgan district of Kzyl-Orda region. In 1944 he was assigned to the Gorky region, where he was to study metallurgy. However, the young man dreamed of a different path. He asked to be let go to the capital to enter the Law Faculty. It was only after passing the exams in 1945 that was allowed to leave the factory. In 1949, he graduated from Alma-Ata Law Institute as a lawyer. After that, he entered the postgraduate course at Moscow Law Institute. After graduating in 1952, he defended his doctoral thesis on «Education and Development of the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic».

In 1970, Sultan Sartaevich defended his doctoral thesis on «Construction of Socialist Statehood and the Issues of the Higher Authority of People’s Representation in Kazakhstan». From 1992 to 2007, he headed the Kazakh Institute of Law and International Relations.

All his life the famous scientist worked at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, he was an Honorary Professor of the Department of Theory and History of State and Law, Constitutional and Administrative Law, Chairman of the Council of Veterans of the University. He made every effort to open a Kazakh Department at the Law Faculty.

His contribution to the formation of statehood of Kazakhstan, strengthening of sovereignty, development of scientific and theoretical foundations of independence is invaluable. He actively participated in the formation of national legislation of independent Kazakhstan. His academic knowledge, scientifically sound and grounded proposals were used in the preparation of the main laws of the country – Declaration on state sovereignty of Kazakh SSR, Constitutional law of RK «On State Independence», Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan 1993, Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan 1995; laws «On Languages», «On Citizenship» and others. Sultan Sartaev is one of the founders of the idea of building a presidential form of government in Kazakhstan and establishing the post of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He is the author of more than 500 scientific works.

Sultan Sartayevich is one of the outstanding Kazakhstani scientists who enriched the legal science with works of world importance. The scientific works of academician Sartaev are widely known in our country, as well as in CIS countries and abroad.

For years of the pedagogical activity, he has given the way in life to hundreds of graduates of the Law Faculty of Al-Farabi KazNU. His students successfully work in various spheres. Many of them work in the systems of state bodies of Kazakhstan and CIS countries. Yet there are also many who, with his creative blessing, have devoted themselves to scientific work, scientific teaching, and social and political activities.

Thanks to his selfless work and outstanding personal qualities, Sultan Sartayevich enjoyed the genuine respect of the people, and his life path will undoubtedly be a model for many generations.

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