Kazakhstan plans to introduce life imprisonment for child sexual abuse

Majilis deputies started discussing the draft law “On amendments to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on ensuring rights of women and safety of children,” Kazinform News Agency reports.

The deputies began also working on the corresponding bill “On amendments to the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on administrative offenses on ensuring rights of women and safety of children.”

As Askhat Aimagambetov noted, the draft laws were initiated by the deputies of the Majilis to fulfill the President’s instruction to criminalize domestic violence.

According to him, the deputies initiate the following amendments:

- to impose criminal liability and upgrade penalty for beatings and light bodily injuries;

- permission for launching legal proceedings based on information on violence in mass media and online platforms, without a victim’s request;

- permitting courts to assign psychological support to change aggressive behaviour of the people who commit domestic violence;

- to introduce life imprisonment for child sexual abuse;

- to introduce criminal liability for the propagation of suicide or incitement to suicide;

- inspection of children's residential care facilities at any time and without prior notice;