Kazakh president signs law banning LGBT propaganda

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a law introducing amendments to limit the distribution of illegal content, including LGBT propaganda, the presidential press service (Akorda) announced.

Earlier, the Senate approved amendments to the law, adding a new provision stating: “Protection of the younger generation from propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations and pedophilia,” Caliber.Az reports.

Amnesty International and other human rights groups warned that the proposed ban on so‑called “LGBT propaganda” would violate Kazakhstan’s international human rights obligations and undermine freedom of expression and access to information for LGBT+ people. 

A coalition of seven international human rights organisations said lawmakers should reject the draft law, saying it would increase the vulnerability of LGBTIQ+ people and clearly contravene Kazakhstan’s commitments under international human rights treaties, including rights to education, health, and information.

Human rights defenders, including Access Now and Human Rights Watch, publicly condemned the measure as “Russia‑style” and harmful to Kazakhstan’s image, noting that the inclusion of broad restrictions on LGBT‑related content was unrelated to child protection or archival policy and could justify suspension of online content without court orders.

By Jeyhun Aghazada