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Kazakhstan’s Senate has approved amendments to the criminal code in two readings that establish criminal liability for stalking, Kazinform reports.
The legal definition of stalking provided in the document refers to the “unlawful pursuit of an individual, expressed in actions aimed at establishing contact and/or surveillance against their will, not involving violence but causing significant harm.”
According to Deputy Prosecutor General Aset Chindaliyev, such behavior will be punishable by a fine or up to 90 days of detention. “Yes, we are introducing criminal liability for stalking. This refers to cases when someone harasses another person—calling them repeatedly, following them, appearing on social media or in the street, disrupting their life. We want to impose penalties to prevent more serious crimes that can follow such harassment,” he told Tengrinews.kz.
The same legislative package also introduces a separate article in the Criminal Code to address bride kidnapping, formally titled “Coercion into Marriage.” Depending on the severity of the offense, punishments will include fines, community service, restrictions on freedom, or imprisonment for up to 10 years.
The bill was passed by the lower house of parliament at the end of May. Following Senate approval, it will now be sent to the president for signing.
