Kazakhstan Criminalizes Forced Marriage, Introduces Harsher Penalties Including Fines and Prison Terms

Kazakhstan is strengthening its legal stance against forced marriage by introducing new measures and redefining legal terms. A new bill aimed at updating the Criminal, Penal Enforcement, and Criminal Procedure Codes introduces the concept of “forced marriage,” replacing the previous term “bride kidnapping,” Orda.kz reports. 

Deputy Abzal Kuspan explained the changes.

The revised law redefines the crime as "forced marriage," rather than “bride kidnapping,” making it gender-neutral. This means both men and women can be recognized as victims.

Coercion isn’t limited to physical violence. It can also include blackmail or threats to disclose personal information. That’s why the article now applies to everyone,Kuspan said. 

Liability Under the New Article:

• For coercion through blackmail or threats: a fine of up to 2,000 MCI (monthly calculation index), correctional labor, restriction of freedom, or up to 2 years of imprisonment.
• If physical force is used, the victim is a minor, or the act involves a group (including family members):
  A fine of up to 5,000 MCI (about 19 million tenge), restriction of freedom, or imprisonment for 3 to 7 years.
• If the actions lead to the victim’s death: imprisonment for 5 to 10 years.

Additionally, the law eliminates a former loophole: previously, a perpetrator could avoid punishment by voluntarily releasing the victim. That exemption has now been removed.

Original Author: Ilya Astakhov