The article examines the process of integrating international standards, such as the Nelson Mandela Rules and the Bangkok Rules, into the penitentiary system of Kazakhstan. The relevance of the study is due to the need to bring prison conditions in line with international standards, including the protection of human rights, improved access to health care, humanisation of the penitentiary environment and compliance with ethical norms. The paper analyses the current state of the penitentiary system and identifies the main challenges to the full integration of international standards. The key challenges include cultural and social barriers, limited resources, and insufficient staff training. Particular attention is paid to the prospects for developing staff development programmes, improving the legislative framework, modernising infrastructure and strengthening international cooperation. On the basis of the study, specific recommendations are proposed for the introduction of international standards into the practice of penitentiary institutions. The implementation of the proposed measures contributes to the protection of prisoners' rights, improvement of their conditions of detention and increasing public confidence in the penitentiary system. This work emphasises the need for further systemic reforms and opens prospects for sustainable and progressive development of the penitentiary system of Kazakhstan at the international level.