The Parliament of Kazakhstan has passed legislation banning any media or online content that allegedly “promotes non-traditional sexual relations”.
Under the new law, media outlets and online platforms are prohibited from publishing material deemed to “promote non-traditional sexual relations”. Offenders face fines, and repeat violations can result in up to 10 days in jail. Lawmakers argue the measure is necessary to “protect children and adolescents” from harmful information that could distort their understanding of family, morality and future. Additionally, any media or online content seen as advocating LGBT relationships must be labelled 18+. Human rights organizations have sharply criticized the bill as discriminatory and infringing on human rights. They warn it is another expression of pressure on the LGBTQ+ community and an attempt to intimidate civil society. Similar laws are already in place in Russia, Hungary and Georgia — all under the banner of “protecting children”.
Russia first passed its “gay propaganda” law in 2013. Hungary followed in 2021, Georgia in 2024. The move forms part of a broader global trend of increased online censorship and intensified repression of LGBTQ+ people, as flagged by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. In Kazakhstan, the surge in arguments over “traditional values” grew after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged the defence of traditional norms.
The new law in Kazakhstan means serious regression in free expression and minority rights: the ban extends not just to “propaganda” but to any presence of LGBT topics in media or online deemed “non–traditional”. It is not only a discriminatory measure but also a message to civil society that the state is willing to enforce strict control over the internet and content.
