Will Homosexuality Be Outlawed in Kazakhstan?

Earlier this year, officials from Kazakhstan's government expressed that they may want to adopt Russia's controversial "homosexual propaganda" law. On Thursday, Tengri News, the Central Asian country's news site, reported Kazakhstan's Parliament deputy suggested introducing a new bill to outlaw same-sex relations altogether.

"I believe it necessary not only to enhance the article 11 of the Family Code (persons not allowed to marry), but also to develop a draft law eradicating same-sex relations, and close the nightclubs everywhere," MP deputy Bakhytbek Smagul said during his address to Kazakhstan Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov.

Smagul went on to say that a number of countries that "set traditional family relations a priority in their state policies," like Afghanistan, Malaysia and Indonesia, have adopted laws banning same-sex relationships because those relationships "are not part of their national mentalities," Tengir News writes. Smagul added, "Russia also intends to adopt such law."

"In this relation, I would like to stress the following: It is evident that we should not envisage the future of our nation outside the family bonds when forming the Kazakhstan national ideology," he continued. "But families will not be developing in the right way if same-sex relations are promoted openly. In Central Asia, where ancient cultures cross, and with Kazakhstan being an active member of the Islamic Cooperation Organization, they [same-sex relations] harm the image of our country and its domestic policies."

He went on to say that countries "that have allowed such relations" have security concerns and do not have sufficient defense.

"Whereas our country is located in a strategic zone where we have to be alert days and nights," Smagul said. "And tell me, how will gay men be able to protect the borders of our country? How will they defend us? What will be their impact on the country's demography?"

Smagul said that Kazakhstan's citizens should draw on spiritual support from their heritage and ancestors, adding that the laws that the country has adopted, aim to improve "the social conditions of our citizens: not only their welfare in the prospering society, but also their protection from spiritual troubles".

In August, Kazakhstan's parliament pushed to pass a bill that mirrors Russia's "homosexual propaganda" law, in order to "route out gay clubs and ban LGBT community's pride parades," Tengri News writes.

Aldan Smaiyl, a member of the country's Lower Chamber, or Majilis, is strongly pushing for the bill and first brought it up in the spring, when filing a request to Prime Minister Akhmetov.

"I asked to ban gay-clubs, demonstrations and any and all of these disgusting relations. I received a reply that Kazakhstan had no such law (allowing to close the clubs)," he said.