Kazakhstan to toughen punishment for bride kidnapping

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan’s Parliament is drafting amendments to toughen punishments for bride kidnapping, according to Majilis Speaker Yerlan Koshanov, who reported the initiative to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The move follows Tokayev's directive issued during the National Kurultai in Atyrau, where he called for stricter measures against the practice of bride kidnapping, which some attempt to justify as a 'national tradition'.

"There are those in our country who, under the guise of so-called national traditions, attempt to impose the practice of bride kidnapping. Such outrageous ignorance cannot be justified in any way and runs counter to the ideals of a progressive society where the dignity, rights, and freedoms of every individual are absolute values. I believe that such incidents require not only moral condemnation but also legal assessment," Tokayev stated on March 15.

In addition to this measure, Parliament is currently reviewing 71 draft laws. These include updates to the Tax, Water, Construction, and Digital Codes, as well as laws on consumer protection, housing construction participation, financial market development, military-patriotic education, and postal services.