First Cases Registered Under New Law on Forced Marriage in Kazakhstan
Photo: Pixabay, illustrative purposes
The first criminal cases under Article 125-1 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan — coercion into marriage — have been registered in Shymkent and the Qyzylorda region, Orda.kz reports.
“In both cases, the victims were minors,” the Prosecutor General’s Office stated.
Under the new law, coercion into marriage is punishable by a fine of up to 2,000 monthly calculation indices (approximately 7.86 million tenge), correctional labor, restriction of liberty, or imprisonment for up to two years. If the crime results in serious consequences, the penalty may reach up to 10 years in prison.
Incidentally, in Qaraganda, a 15-year-old girl was married to a 38-year-old man, and the trial over the incident recently began. According to the girl’s biological father, the stepfather gave his stepdaughter to an acquaintance “in accordance with Sharia law.”
At the same time, Article 115-1 of the Criminal Code — addressing stalking, or systematic harassment without violence — has also come into effect. Two criminal cases have already been opened under this article in the Atyrau and Pavlodar regions.
In Atyrau, a man is accused of approaching women’s homes at night and committing indecent acts under their windows.
Over the past five years, 257 criminal cases involving forced marriage have been registered in Kazakhstan, but 95% were dismissed. The new law eliminates this possibility — such cases will no longer be dropped, even if the victim withdraws the complaint.
Original Author: Ruslan Loginov
Latest news
- Kazakhstan’s Credit Rating Upgraded for First Time in a Decade
- While Thousands Lost Power, KEGOC Executives Received Nearly Half a Billion Tenge
- Changi Airport Group May Help Build Astana’s New Airport
- US Again Extends Deadline for Lukoil to Sell Its Assets in Kazakhstan
- Kazakhstan Extradites Business Manager From Russia in 290 Million Tenge Tax Case
- Released Amur Tiger Successfully Hunts in Kazakhstan’s Wild
- Kazakhstan Moves to Develop Critical Minerals as Global Competition Intensifies
- Another Performance by Kazakh Stand-Up Comedian Called Off
- Uzbekistan Begins Preparations for Second Nuclear Power Plant
- Backpack Links Glacier Remains to Man Missing for 19 Years
- 650-Hectare Wildfire Contained in Karaganda Region
- Unusual Wildlife Encounter Captured in Altyn-Emel
- Retired Border Service Dog Sold for $2 at Kazakhstan Auction
- Will Kazakhstan Have Enough Coal This Winter?
- Belarusian Hikers Find Body on Glacier Near Almaty
- Kazakhstan Investigates Spending on 242 Million Tenge Educational Game
- Kazakhstan Makes Caspian Oil Companies Pay for Counterterrorism Deployments
- Kazakhstan Faces Shortage of 245,000 School Places
- Waste Dumping Reported Near Yurt Camps at Lake Zaisan
- Kazakh Oil Rerouted to Novorossiysk as Russia Frees Baltic Export Capacity
