Kazakhstan parliament gives preliminary approval to law banning LGBTQI+ “propaganda”

Kazakhstan moved a step closer to banning LGBTQI+ “propaganda” on online platforms and in the media on Wednesday. A parliamentary working group approved a draft law that would impose fines and up to 10 days in prison for repeat offenders for activities it classifies as “propaganda of non-traditional relationships and pedophilia.”

The changes replicate similar restrictions adopted in Russia and several other post-Soviet countries. The bill is expected to pass easily in the plenary session, as Kazakhstan’s parliament is dominated by pro-government deputies.

Independent human rights consultant Tatyana Chernobyl told Reuters that the changes “legitimise open discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity".

The law must be signed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for it to come into force. Tokayev has repeatedly said in recent months that he supports “the protection of traditional values.”

In Kazakhstan, which is predominantly Muslim but has a secular government, homosexuality was legalized in the 1990s. However, conservative attitudes remain strong in society.

Speaking at the working group meeting, MP Nurlan Auyesbayev called the propaganda of LGBTQI+ relationships “a clear threat to society and the stability of the state.”

Kazakhstan’s move echoes similar laws passed in recent years in countries such as Russia, Hungary, and Georgia. The trend reflects a growing crackdown on LGBTQI+ communities in the region and a strengthening of the rhetoric of “traditional values” at the state level.

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