Kazakhstan’s lower house of parliament passed a bill on Wednesday that bans what authorities describe as “propaganda” of LGBTQ+ relationships. Lawmakers claim the new law aims to protect children, but human rights organizations warn that it poses serious risks to the country’s LGBTQ+ population.
In an online statement, the parliament said the bill seeks to “protect children from content harmful to their health and development.” It prohibits the “dissemination of information containing propaganda of pedophilia and/or non-traditional sexual orientation” through public spaces, the media, telecommunications networks, and online platforms.
Government Defends the Measure
Deputy Culture Minister Evgeny Kochetov told local media that any “public endorsement of these actions” would be classified as “propaganda” under the new law.
He explained, “Calls to the effect that being an LGBT person is better than being a heterosexual person will be banned.”
Kochetov also said that books or films related to LGBTQ+ themes that do not promote “propaganda” will carry an 18+ age rating.
Violating the law could lead to heavy fines or imprisonment.
Next Steps for the Bill
The legislation will now go to the Senate, Kazakhstan’s upper house of parliament, for approval. After that, it will require the signature of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to become law.
Tokayev, who was in Moscow this week meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, has repeatedly emphasized the importance of maintaining what he calls “traditional values.” He has argued that preserving such values is vital for the Central Asian nation of over 19 million people.
Like Russia, where “traditional family values” are central to Putin’s leadership, Kazakhstan’s government appears to be adopting a similar approach to restrict LGBTQ+ rights.
Rights Groups Condemn the Move
The proposed law has triggered sharp criticism from human rights organizations both inside and outside Kazakhstan.
Local LGBTQ+ advocacy group Queer.KZ urged the Senate and President Tokayev to reject the bill. In an online statement, the group said, “Our fight continues.”
Human Rights Watch, along with six other international rights organizations, also released a joint statement warning that passing the bill “would violate fundamental human rights and increase the vulnerability of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and other queer people (LGBTIQ+) in Kazakhstan.”
Background on LGBTQ+ Rights in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan decriminalized homosexuality in 1998 and allowed transgender individuals to change their gender marker on official documents in 2003. However, same-sex marriage remains illegal, and the country does not have laws protecting people from discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
Human Rights Watch highlighted that LGBTQ+ people in Kazakhstan “are targets of assaults, threats, blackmail, and extortion by law enforcement officers and nonstate actors, as well as discrimination.”
Activists fear that this new bill could worsen those conditions, restricting free expression and isolating the LGBTQ+ community even further in a society that remains deeply conservative and predominantly Muslim.