Proposals by the Majilis to criminalise bride kidnapping in Kazakhstan

04.12.2024

Article published on the azattyq.org website

Today, a plenary session of Majilis deputies discussed a proposal to criminalise bride kidnapping in Kazakhstan. Such cases are still continuing, despite the efforts being made to protect women’s rights.

“I saw a video clip that showed a girl being abducted – she was lured there by someone nearby and forced to admit in writing that she has agreed to go with him. Young girls say their rights are being violated and are shown no respect. Famous artists sing about bride kidnapping, a message that is often repeated on stage and screen. We must erect barriers against such practices by employing the full force of the law”, said a deputy, Murat Abenov.

The deputies quoted figures showing that there were 13 cases of bride kidnapping in 2023, with 18 instances in Turkestan oblast in the first eight months of this year alone.

“A video showed a girl being abducted in Mangistau who was seriously injured when she jumped out of a car. A criminal case was initiated, then closed. There was nowhere she could go for help. She was held captive for three or four days and suffered permanent injuries as a result. But no-one was held responsible for this”, said Abenov.

During the plenary session, the Parliament speaker Erlan Koshanov suggested proposing suitable amendments to the national Criminal and Criminal Procedures Code to outlaw this practice. Abenov also said that Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General’s Office supported an earlier proposal to introduce a separate Article 125-1 under the Criminal Code on Abduction of a person for the purpose of marriage. This is currently being discussed among relevant Government departments.

Any action related to the abduction of brides against their will would be covered under this Article and a prison sentence imposed of up to 12 years for premeditated kidnapping by a group of people, and up to 15 years if such actions result in the death or serious harm of a victim through negligence.

There are no official statistics on how many “brides” have been kidnapped and forced into marriages in Kazakhstan. In reality, the numbers may be higher as victims do not always report these incidents to the police, with cases rarely coming to court, let alone result in a conviction.

Source: https://rus.azattyq.org/a/33226507.html