Azamat Shambilov graduated from Kazakh Law University and completed his LLM degree at City University London in the United Kingdom. Since early 2015, Azamat has been Regional Director of Penal Reform International(PRI) in Central Asia, based in Astana, Kazakhstan. Before that, he worked at PRI on various projects, including programmes on health in prison, the abolition of death penalty, reintegration of prisoners, issues of women prisoners, and improvement of prison system in general, torture prevention, and justice for children. PRI Central Asia office covers work in three countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan,where it aims to improve the conditions and treatment for prisoners – men, women and children.