Kazakhstan adopts law on domestic violence
Images | Depositphotos
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed the law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On amendments to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on ensuring women’s rights and safety of children," and "On amendments to the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on administrative offences on ensuring women’s rights and safety of children," Kazinform News Agency reports citing the Akorda press service.
Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has already tasked to upgrade punishment for the violence against women and children in his addresses to the nation as of March 16, 2022 and September 1, 2023.
The amendments were widely discussed with the public. Representatives of the non-governmental organizations, National Kurultay, National Commission for Women’s Affairs and Family Policy and Ombudsman for Children’s Rights attended the sittings of the Parliament chambers.
As reported before, the main law provides for amending 15 legislative acts of Kazakhstan, including seven codes and eight laws. The related law amends the Code "On administrative offenses."
The law imposes administrative liability for bullying and cyberbullying of minors and for forced alighting from the bus of persons under 16 and other amendments.
Following amendments are introduced to the law:
- prohibition on assignment of lighter punishment than provided for in the Special Part of the Code for a violence against minors;
- conciliation of the parties on crimes related to violence against minors is excluded, as well as in cases of criminal offenses being committed again a year after conciliation as per the articles 108-1 (willful infliction of bodily harm) and 109-1 (beatings);
- restriction of freedom is replaced with imprisonment for acts aimed at intentionally causing grievous harm to health, moderate harm to health;
- life imprisonment is imposed for murdering children (Article 99 of the Criminal Code), raping children (Article 120 of the Criminal Code) and for sexual violence against children (Article 121 of the Criminal Code) by means of excluding other alternative punishment measures stipulated in the Criminal Code;
- liability is introduced for sexual harassment of persons under 16 ;
- penalties are imposed for inciting or assisting suicide;
- criminal liability is imposed for intentional infliction of bodily harm and beatings;
- a new article is introduced setting special requirements for the behavior of a person who has committed a criminal offense, applied by the court (providing psychological assistance, prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages, etc.);
- criminal liability is imposed for intentional infliction of bodily harm and beatings.
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Kazah PM Bektenov hails flood control measures in W Kazakhstan, urges to protect Atyrau next
Images | Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Kazakh Priem Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired an operational meeting on the flood situation in the west of the country, Kazinform News Agency cites primeminister.kz
The head of the Kazakh government set a task before the administration office of Atyrau region to reach the highest possible level of protection of Atyrau city and settlements from the arriving floodwaters.
The government assigned to carry out work modelled on the work conducted in West Kazakhstan region, where it was possible to move past the peak of flooding without large-scale destructions.
Up to 11 thousand people and around 2 thousand pieces of equipment have been deployed in West Kazakhstan region as part of the flood control operations. Temporary barriers with a length of around 150km have been erected as well as 1,300 thousand sack tares have been laid.
According to the administration office, residents of 909 houses have returned to their homes as of today. Over five thousand heads of cattle have been moved to safer areas.
Regionwide, 1,672 families have received a one-time compensation payment worth 100 monthly calculation indexes.
The flood situation is stabilizing. The region moved past the high water mark. Here, it is worth noting the coordinated work of all units deployed. Thanks to joint efforts, it was possible to prevent flooding of 84 settlements as well as mitigate the aftermath of the floods in the region. As of now, there is no risk of flooding of houses, said Bektenov.
The task at hand is to prepare Atyrau region. The water level of the Zhaiyk River (Ural) rises on a daily basis. Around 100cm is left for the river to pass the danger mark.
Currently, high water is coming to Atyrau region, with the peak expected in the coming days. It is necessary to mobilize all forces, use the experience of West Kazakhstan region to attract additional forces from other regions. It is important to conduct an hourly monitoring of the water level, increase the length and height of protective dams, said the Kazakh premier.
As of now, over 13 thousand people and up to 1,200 pieces of vehicles are deployed in the flood control operations in Atyrau region. Over 500km of dams, including 242km along the residential areas in Atyrau city, have been built and up to 4.8 million sack tares have been laid. Dredging works are underway at the mouth of the river and in the Caspian Sea, with 1,408m have been dug out and 11,538 cubic meters of soil removed.
In conclusion, the head of the Kazakh government pointed out that the country has past the danger of flooding for the most part.
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13,000 Kazakh families receive assistance after floods
Kazakh Government is compensating damage to the victims of massive spring floods in line with the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s instruction, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Residents of Atyrau, West Kazakhstan, Kostanay, North Kazakhstan and other regions are applying for the state assistance to the regional commissions, with 22,475 applications already submitted.
As of April 29, 13,259 families have already received more than 4.8 billion tenge of lump-sum payment. The amount of payment for the livestock killed in floods reached 278 million tenge.
3,956 residential buildings have been inspected in flood affected regions.
More than 670 million tenge were allocated for the repair of 524 residential buildings.
In line with the President’s instruction, all flood victims will be provided with all-round support and care.
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President joins Taza Qazaqstan campaign, reiterates importance of careful attitude to nature
Images | Akorda
Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev joined a clean-up event in one of the districts of the Kazakh capital held on Saturday morning as part of the nationwide Taza Qazaqstan campaign, Kazinform News Agency has reports citing the Akorda press service.
Volunteers, youth, participants of the upcoming 5th World Nomad Games, members of the Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve joined the citywide clean-up effort. Some 430 seedlings of linden tree were planted as part of the event.
President Tokayev took the opportunity to talk to the participants of the campaign and once again reiterated the importance of fostering careful attitude to environment and nature.
He stressed that the ongoing Taza Qazaqstan campaign is not a one-off event. On the contrary, according to him, it is here to stay.
We must take good care of our common home - Kazakhstan. No guests or investors will show up in a country where there is no cleanness," said the President, adding that Kazakhstan should always be clean and beautiful. The same, in his words, applies to small towns, districts, and villages.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on Kazakhstanis to abide by law and order and combat vandalism.
We should be proud of our country and treat everything, be it a street, a yard or an entrance of an apartment building with care," he said.
The Head of State also inspected the Botanical Garden and expressed his gratitude to residents who had taken part in the Taza Qazaqstan campaign.
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300 bln tenge is allocated for spring field and harvesting works
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Starting from April 29, Baiterek Holding will launch a new program of preferential financing in the amount of 300 billion tenge (around $678 million). The program is aimed to support the agro-industrial sector in conducting spring field and harvesting works, reports Kazinform News Agency.
According to the program, Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund JSC will provide guarantees in the amount of 85% of the loan for farmers who have problems with collateral security. This measure is taken for the first time and helps strengthen food security and stabilize prices for products on the domestic market.
Moreover, farmers affected due to the floods situation and last year drought, will receive 5% per annum funding through the Agrarian Credit Corporation.
Chairman of the Board of Baiterek Rustam Karagoishin emphasized that the holding will increase financing of agriculture in accordance with the instruction of the Head of State.
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Kazakh defense minister suggests developing agr’t on confidence-building measures for all SCO member states
Images | Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan
The meeting of the ministers of defense of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization took place in the Kazakh capital of Astana under Kazakhstan’s presidency of the Organization, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Attending the meeting were the defense ministers of the SCO member states, Secretary General, director of the SCO RATS Executive Committee and Belarusian minister of defense.
The current issues of international and regional security were discussed as well as the steps towards developing cooperation between the defense ministries were defined in a traditionally friendly and constructive way.
During the event, it was noted that the SCO is not a military and political bloc and that military cooperation does not target other countries. The meeting’s aim is to strengthen confidence-building measures in the military sphere, coordinate efforts against challenges and threats to regional security. In this regard, the need to continue the holding of the Peaceful Mission joint military anti-terrorist drills was noted.
With the aim to promote the activities of armed forces of the member states of the Organization, the defense ministers reached agreement to develop cooperation between the military historic museums.
In his speech, head of the Kazakh defense ministry colonel-general Ruslan Zhakssylykov drew attention to the historic aspect of the Organization.
If we go back to the origins of the SCO, it is necessary to note that Agreement on Confidence Building in the Military Field in the Border Area, as of April 26, 1996, (Shanghai Treaty) and the Agreement on Mutual Reduction of Military Forces in the Border Areas as of April 24, 1997 (Moscow Treaty) are the basis of the Organization’s creation, said Zhakssylykov.
The Kazakh minister put forward a proposal to develop and adopt an agreement on confidence-building measures for all SCO member states, providing for voluntary mutual visits of military units, provision of information on holding major military drills, management and structure of defense departments.
Following the meeting, a protocol and a number of documents regulating cooperation as well as a joint communique were signed.
A joint statement by the Kazakh defense minister and the SCO Secretary General was made.
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25,000 people still battling spring floods in Kazakhstan
Images | Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Official Spokesperson of the Kazakh Emergencies Ministry Askar Sharip reported mass media about the flood control efforts launched in Kazakhstan, Kazinform News Agency reports.
According to him, civil protection services continue tackling flood consequences and assisting the population in Atyrau, Aktobe, West Kazakhstan and North Kazakhstan regions.
Flood situation in the West Kazakhstan region has already stabilized. Flooded summer houses are being monitored. Emergencies employees and policemen are patrolling the flooded areas," he said at a briefing in the Central Communications Office in Astana today.
In his words, the emergency staff of Aktobe and Turkistan regions were sent from the West Kazakhstan to Atyrau region to help in flood relief efforts in the villages located on the Zhaiyk (Ural) river bank.
He said that water level changes on the Zhaiyk river are monitored in Atyrau region. Bank protection works were launched along the river in Atyrau to prevent flooding.
Water was pumped out from 6,082 residential buildings and 2,584 households in the North Kazakhstan, Atyrau, and Aktobe regions.
35,122 people have already returned their homes, while 8,520 are staying in the evacuation centers.
Emergency and rescue works involve more than 25,000 people and 3,000 vehicles, 638 water pumps, 268 boats and 14 aircraft.
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Head of State Tokayev meets Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun
Images | Akorda
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting with Minister of National Defense of China Dong Jun, Kazinform News Agency cites Akorda.
Welcoming Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, who is on an official visit to Kazakhstan, Tokayev noted his contribution to the strengthening of good-neighborliness, friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Head of State stressed that the Kazakh-Chinese relations are at the highest level of eternal all-round strategic partnership. As Tokayev said, Kazakhstan and China share the common views on the key issues of regional and international security on the multilateral track.
Our countries maintain a constructive dialogue and provide mutual support within the UN, SCO, CICA. We commend and back China’s global development initiative, the global security initiative and the global civilization initiative. I believe that they will positively contribute to the strengthening of the modern architecture of global security, said the Kazakh President.
For his part, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun thanked the Head of State of Kazakhstan for the hospitality and noted the high level of preparation for the meeting of the defense ministers of member states of the SCO in Astana.
During the meeting, the sides expressed interest in developing peacekeeping, educational and military technical cooperation.
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