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Murad Abenov, a member of Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis (the lower house of parliament), has criticized state television for promoting bride kidnapping, Kursiv.kz reports.
“On Khabar they aired programs where people said things like, ‘If you don’t agree to marry me, I’ll kidnap you.’ But that’s blatant promotion of violating women’s rights. I’m outraged! We allow this on state television,” the lawmaker said at a press briefing.
He reminded journalists that bride kidnapping is a criminal offense and urged them to help explain to the public why such actions are unacceptable.
“Those who abduct brides without their consent are violating human rights. Anyone who assaults the dignity of underage girls must understand — we will protect them by all means. Those responsible will include not only the direct perpetrators, but also anyone who helped, restrained the victim, or said, ‘Step over me.’ All will be held accountable. We’re not trying to fill the prisons — our goal is to reduce such crimes,” Abenov stressed.
The deputy added that in the Turkestan region alone, 13 cases of bride kidnapping were recorded over the past year — “a very high number,” in his view.
Criminal liability for such acts was introduced in Kazakhstan this past summer. For coercion into marriage, offenders now face fines, correctional labor, restrictions of freedom, or imprisonment for up to ten years, depending on the severity of the crime.
Previously, such cases were prosecuted under the general article on kidnapping, which included a clause exempting offenders from liability if they voluntarily released the victim and committed no other crime.
State channel Khabar was also involved in a scandal last year over the talk show Bіraq, in which a female participant was urged to reconcile with her abusive husband. The chairman of the Khabar Agency, Kemelbek Oishybayev, later apologized to the victim. In turn, Minister of Culture Aida Balayeva said that a national broadcaster — one tasked with explaining government policy — must not allow such content and that the talk show Bіraq would be shut down.
