Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan, has signed off on new laws that make the promotion of LGBTIQA+ people or issues illegal. The new laws are similar in style to those introduced in Russia under President Vladimir Putin.
The country’s lower house passed the new laws back in November with the bill banning information about pedophilia and ‘non-traditional’ sexual orientations. The bill bans mentions of wither topic in public spaces and in the media. The upper house passed the bill the following month, and at the end of 2025 the President signed in into law.
The passage of the bill comes despite multiple human rights groups voicing their opposition and warnings that the bill contravenes the country’s international commitments to human rights.
Those found to break the new law can be sentenced to up to 10 days in detention while also facing fines of up to AUD$420.
Homosexuality was decriminalised in Kazakhstan in 1998 but the local LGBTIQA+ communities face discrimination and have few protections in law.
“The clear intention of the bill is to silence all forms of pro-LGBT expression.” said Mihra Rittman, a researcher at Human Rights Watch.
In November the human rights watchdog joined six other groups in condemning the legislation. Signing on to the public opposition was Access Now, Civil Rights Defenders, Eurasian Coalition on Health, Rights, Gender and Sexual Diversity, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, International Partnership for Human Rights and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee.
