Kazakhstan adopts law banning so-called “LGBT propaganda”

Kazakhstan’s president Kasym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a new law introducing amendments to several legislative acts on archival affairs and restrictions on the dissemination of “illegal content.” The law includes provisions banning what it defines as “LGBT propaganda.”

Speaking about the implementation of the law, Deputy Minister of Culture Yevgeny Kochetov stated that individuals who disseminate materials deemed to contain “propaganda” may face fines or administrative arrest. According to him, inspections will only be initiated following formal complaints, effectively introducing an enforcement mechanism based on reports or denunciations.

Kochetov emphasised that the law does not criminalise belonging to the LGBTQI+ community. However, since “LGBT propaganda” has been classified as “illegal content,” it will be subject to the same sanctions applied to other prohibited materials.

Under the new rules, a first offence may result in a fine of 20 monthly calculation indicators (approximately USD 150). If the violation is repeated within a year, penalties may include a higher fine or up to 10 days of administrative detention.

In early December, Kazakhstan’s Senate postponed the review of “LGBT propaganda” ban amid talks with the European Union. 

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