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Kazakhstan’s Parliament Advances Ban on “LGBT Propaganda,” Drawing International Concern
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On November 12, 2025, Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis—the lower house of parliament—approved a set of amendments that would ban what is termed “LGBT propaganda” across a wide swath of public life. According to local reports, the changes would impact at least nine existing laws, including those governing child rights, media, advertising, communications, culture, education, cinema, and online platforms. The amendments introduce the legal concept of “propaganda of nontraditional orientation,” prohibiting its dissemination not only in traditional media but also via telecommunications and digital channels. The law’s full effect will be realized if it is passed by the Senate and signed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who has previously spoken out against what he described as foreign “LGBT propaganda” campaigns .
The proposed legislation employs broad and ambiguous language, defining propaganda as “the dissemination of information about non-traditional sexual orientation and adherence to it, conducted publicly or through mass media, telecommunication networks or online platforms, including in a deliberately distorted form, to an undefined circle of persons, with the aim of forming a positive image” . This wording closely mirrors the language of Russia’s 2013 anti-LGBTQ+ law, which has been criticized for enabling arbitrary enforcement and suppressing LGBTQ+ visibility.
If enacted, the law would allow authorities to suspend access to websites and digital content without a court order. Administrative penalties for violation include detention of up to 10 days and fines, as described under article 456, part 2 of Kazakhstan’s administrative code. The precise penalties and mechanisms for enforcement have yet to be publicly disclosed, but activists and legal experts warn that the vague definitions could criminalize a broad range of LGBTQ+ expression, advocacy, and even basic information-sharing .
Kazakhstan’s move to restrict LGBTQ+ expression has developed over the course of 2024 and 2025, with earlier proposals and public petitions seeking to ban what proponents describe as “open and hidden LGBT propaganda.” The most recent legislative push came after a petition, signed by more than 50,000 individuals, called for a review of LGBTQ+ content in public spaces. Lawmakers initially attempted to introduce similar measures in a mass media bill, but the provision was omitted from the final version. Renewed debate and legislative action resumed in October 2025, culminating in the current amendments .
The proposal has garnered broad institutional support within Kazakhstan, with ministries such as Culture and Information, Internal Affairs, Health, and Education endorsing the amendments. The Cabinet of Ministers has also backed the changes, according to civil society participants in legislative discussions .
The proposed law has drawn sharp criticism from both domestic and international human rights organizations. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that the legislation “would entrench stigma, outlaw expression, and contravene international human rights standards,” highlighting concerns about the institutionalization of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people .
Local legal experts and activists argue that the law’s “countering propaganda” language could be used to arbitrarily target both LGBTQ+ individuals and those advocating for their rights. Artur Alkhastov, a lawyer with the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights, noted that despite lawmakers’ claims of protecting children, the actual provisions would “directly restrict freedom of speech and peaceful assembly for members of the LGBT community and for human rights defenders working on these issues” .
Numerous rights groups—including Human Rights Watch and the International Partnership for Human Rights—have urged Kazakh lawmakers to reject the amendments, arguing that adoption would “blatantly violate Kazakhstan’s international human rights commitments” .
As the legislation awaits further approval, LGBTQ+ advocates in Kazakhstan and abroad continue to call for its rejection, emphasizing the importance of upholding the rights, dignity, and visibility of all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
