Kazakhstan Moves to Toughen Penalties for Attacks on Medical Workers

The lower house of parliament has passed the first reading of amendments to the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code that would significantly increase penalties for violence against medical personnel and ambulance drivers, Orda.kz reports.

According to Askhat Aimagambetov, representing the group behind the bill, attacks on ambulance staff have become more frequent in Kazakhstan.

He reminded lawmakers that violence against a medical crew is never an isolated act:

When a drunken hooligan hits an ambulance driver, he's figuratively hitting a small child on the next street, choking and waiting for the ambulance. He's hitting a grandmother having a stroke, who the ambulance won't get to in time. One hooligan puts a team and a vehicle out of service, delaying the arrival of help, and with a heart attack or stroke, every minute counts. It's a matter of life and death.

The Ministry of Health says that 280 attacks on medical staff have been recorded over the past five years, though Aimagambetov believes the true number is much higher because many workers do not report incidents.

The bill introduces a new article, 380-3, which classifies medical workers and ambulance drivers as specially protected individuals. Such protection already applies to rescuers, law enforcement, gamekeepers, and forestry inspectors.

For violence that is not life-threatening or a danger to health, or for threats of violence, fines ranging from 500 to 1,000 MCI are proposed — roughly two to four million tenge. If the attack endangers life or causes serious harm, offenders could face up to 12 years in prison.

Aimagambetov previously noted that under the current law, minor assaults result in 25–50 days of arrest or a fine of around 200 MCI (about 786,400 tenge).

Original Author: Anastasia Prilepskaya