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Kazakhstan Cracks Down on Crimes Against Children and Women

Kazakhstan’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Dinara Zakiyeva, has outlined the scale of sexual violence against minors and the state’s efforts to combat it by strengthening legislation and support systems. Legislative Changes In April 2024, Kazakhstan introduced sweeping amendments to its criminal legislation, significantly increasing penalties for crimes against women and children. On April 15, 2024, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed into law the On Amendments and Additions to Some Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Ensuring Women's Rights and Children's Safety. Key changes to the Criminal Code include: Prohibition of lenient sentencing for crimes involving violence against minors; Elimination of reconciliation between parties in cases involving violence against minors; Introduction of life imprisonment as the sole penalty for the murder of a minor (Article 99), rape of a minor (Article 120), and other violent sexual acts against minors (Article 121), removing alternative sentencing options; Criminalization of sexual solicitation of individuals under 16; and Legal liability for inciting or assisting in suicide. Scope of the Problem According to Zakiyeva, approximately 900 crimes related to the sexual abuse of minors are reported in Kazakhstan each year. Since the enactment of the new law, 25 to 27 individuals have already received life sentences for such offenses. The highest incidence of these crimes is recorded in southern Kazakhstan, specifically Almaty, Turkestan, and Zhambyl regions, as well as West Kazakhstan and Kostanay regions. Zakiyeva notes that these areas often have high population density and conservative family structures that may conceal abuse. Zakiyeva shared disturbing cases of underage girls who had given birth as a result of prolonged abuse. “In Zhambyl region, I met a 13-year-old girl who had been raped for six years by her two uncles. In Turkestan region, I visited a center housing 16 underage mothers, aged 13 to 15, all of whom were victims of abuse by relatives. Many didn’t even realize they were victims of a crime, they believed this was normal family life,” she said. Prevention and Support The children’s ombudsman emphasized that effective anti-violence strategies globally rely on four pillars: strengthening legal frameworks; promoting self-defense and awareness; working with families to identify risk factors early; and expanding support infrastructure for victims. Kazakhstan’s new legislation supports preventive measures such as deploying mobile teams to identify at-risk families and establishing family support centers in every district. Currently, 112 such centers are operational, with another 109 underway. In Turkestan region alone, the number of centers has grown from one to 13, with four more soon to open. Helpline and Awareness In a single month, Kazakhstan’s national children’s helpline received 120 phone calls and 11,145 text messages. According to Zakiyeva, these messages often reveal the deep emotional isolation children feel. “Children feel alone. They’re scared to speak out. They’re afraid to tell anyone that they’re being threatened, blackmailed, or approached by strangers. Many can’t talk to their parents, teachers, or psychologists,” she said.

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Ukrainian Fugitive Arrested in Poland for Organ Trafficking in Central Asia

A 35-year-old Ukrainian woman has been arrested in Przemyśl, Poland, based on an Interpol Red Notice, according to the country’s prosecutor’s office. She has been on the run since November 9, 2020, after being sentenced to 12 years in prison by a court in Kazakhstan for her role in an organized crime group involved in human organ trafficking. On March 6, 2025, border guards at the railway crossing in Przemyśl detained Ksenia P. (whose name is protected under Polish privacy laws) during a routine inspection. Authorities confirmed that she had been convicted in Kazakhstan for her involvement in an international criminal group that operated between 2017 and 2019. The group illegally harvested human tissues and organs for sale on the black market. Ksenia P. was found guilty of obtaining human kidneys from 56 victims across several countries, including Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Thailand. The illegal trade was conducted for financial gain, with the criminal network relying on it as a steady source of income. Following her arrest, the District Prosecutor’s Office in Przemyśl questioned Ksenia P. and, on March 7, 2025, requested the District Court to impose a temporary seven-day detention. This measure is intended to facilitate her extradition to Kazakhstan, where she is expected to serve her sentence.

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Bulgarian Spy Ring Attempted to Threaten Kazakh President’s Western Ties

A spy cell in the UK, including five Bulgarian nationals, targeted multiple individuals and locations over nearly three years, according to court documents at the Old Bailey, officially known as the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales. The Bulgarian nationals had stood accused of spying for Russia at the behest of the fugitive Jan Marsalek, the former COO of Wirecard, described by prosecutors as “believed to be linked to the Russian state”. The trial centered around thousands of sinister messages between Marsalek and Bulgarian national Orlin Roussev, who compared himself to the fictional character of ‘Q’ from the James Bond movies, and his “team leader” Bizer Dzhambazov, who managed the other three defendants, all belittlingly referred to as “the minions”. Roussev and Dzhambazov had pleaded guilty to their role in the spy ring prior to the trial. [caption id="attachment_29626" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] The story has all the hallmarks of a Hollywood script: gadgets, beautiful women, and dozens of fake IDs used to rent cars and properties across Europe for various operations. The defendants plotted espionage, psyops, and disinformation campaigns, and even kidnapping and murder, some of which were partially carried out in the UK and across continental Europe, including in Germany, Austria, and Spain, as well as other locations. Messages presented to the court indicate that, beyond their alleged collaboration with the Russian FSB, the gang operated as mercenaries for any party willing to pay. The Bulgarians devised schemes appealing to their purported connections in Russia, Kazakhstan, Serbia, China, Malaysia, and Colombia. Germane to Central Asia, the spy ring engaged in a range of covert activities targeting Kazakhstan. In 2021, they botched a surveillance operation against Bergey Ryskaliyev, a long-time adversary of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Ryskaliyev, the former governor of Kazakhstan’s Atyrau region, fled to London after being accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars and was sentenced in absentia to 17 years in prison for leading an organized criminal group. Targeting Kazakhstan’s President By 2022, the group’s efforts had escalated into an elaborate scheme to influence Western government officials to impose punitive measures against Nazarbayev’s successor, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The plan began with the creation of an entity designed to lend legitimacy to a fabricated grassroots opposition movement, the inception of which was discussed in Telegram chats between Marsalek and Roussev. “If you have a preferred name… otherwise I will use my imagination and historical facts from the past centuries. Also… how about for the fake company or real company that we register to use some Chess terms…”, Marsalek suggested with regards to naming the NGO. To which Roussev replied: “Let's call it ‘Truth on the Steppes Publishing Ltd.’” The duo would later refer to the entity as “TOTS”. Marsalek agreed, saying, “UK… will be done in a few days… that one I will register tomorrow - UK company ‘Truth on the Steppes Publishing Ltd.’” Shortly after, "Truth on the Steppes Publishing Ltd"...

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Mercenary Spies Unmasked: Guilty Verdict Exposes Global Disinformation and Sabotage Network

A spy cell in the UK, including five Bulgarian nationals, targeted multiple individuals and locations over nearly three years, according to court documents at The Old Bailey, officially known as the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales. The court case, which has played out over fourteen weeks, tells the story of a rogue group of six individuals aiming to leverage statecraft, intelligence, and a willingness to be ruthless for monetary gain. The trial has revealed that the defendants worked under the direction of Jan Marsalek, an Austrian national described by prosecutors as a Russian agent involved in espionage activities. Two men have already pleaded guilty to their role in the spy ring, Orlin Roussev, 46, and Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, whilst the whereabouts of Marsalek remain unknown. According to the prosecution, the defendants stood accused of "monetizing a gap in the market," engaging in what was described as "high-level espionage with very high stakes." A money flowchart presented as evidence revealed that approximately €380,000 had been transferred between three of the suspects, further supporting the allegations. The case has offered a window into the dark world of commercialized clandestine services where criminal organizations offer espionage, psyops, misinformation, assassinations, and other illegal activities for a fee. As for the outcome of the trial against the remaining three defendants, Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanchev 39, following 32 hours of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict on all three of being involved in a conspiracy, contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977, to commit an offence under section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911. Only Ivanchev was present in court, whilst Ivanova and Gaberova joined by video-link from HMP Bronzefield. Their crimes carry a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment. Court testimony, evidence documents as well as volumes of Telegram and WeChat messages, reviewed by The Times of Central Asia reveal a chilling account of the sinister services these dark mercenaries plotted, offered, and in some cases, partially executed. The Times of Central Asia is finalizing its review of court documents and conducting follow-ups with sources to provide a comprehensive analysis and perspective on this case. Please check back for further insights.

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Feminists in Kazakhstan Under Pressure Ahead of International Women’s Day

On March 8, the world marks the annual International Women’s Day, and in Kazakhstan’s commercial capital, Almaty, the authorities are again working to prevent public gatherings sponsored by feminist or LGBT groups. Since early February, several members of the feminist group, Feminita, have been detained in Almaty. Preemptive Measures Late March 3, an Almaty court sentenced Aktorgyn Akkenzhebalasy of the feminist group Feminita to ten days in jail after finding her guilty of violating the law on organization of peaceful assemblies. The charge dated back to May 2024, when six members of Feminita held an unsanctioned march in downtown Almaty, demanding a life sentence for former Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev. Bishimbayev beat his wife to death in a private room in an Almaty restaurant in November 2023. His trial from March to May 2024 was broadcast over television and widely watched by the public in Kazakhstan. Akkenzhebalasy was not the only Feminita activist to be jailed for participating in the May 2024 march. On February 28, Feminita co-founder Zhanar Sekerbayeva was jailed for ten days, meaning she would not be freed from jail until March 10, two days after International Women’s Day. Sekerbayeva and another Feminita co-founder, Gulzada Serzhan, were detained on February 13 after Bagila Baltabayeva, the leader of a group called Kazakhstan’s Union of Parents, and several other women burst into a Feminita meeting. Baltabayeva is also the author of a widely circulated petition against LGBT propaganda. Feminita activists said Baltabayeva called the police and complained that participants in the meeting were corrupting minors and had no permission to conduct their meeting. Kazakh independent media outlet Vlast cited witnesses as saying Baltabayeva also struck Akkenzhebalasy. All 25 of the Feminita members at the meeting were detained but quickly released except Sekerbayeva and Serzhan, who were kept at the police station for several hours and eventually charged with conducting public activities of an unregistered social organization. Baltabayeva and those who accompanied her to disrupt the meeting were not detained. On February 14, Feminita tried to have another meeting, but a group of women from the charity fund Rahym interrupted, calling the Feminita activists “foreign agents” and demanding they “get out!“ Again, police questioned the Feminita activists but not the Rahym members who burst into the meeting. On February 19, an Almaty court found Sekerbayeva and Serzhan guilty of holding a meeting of an unregistered organization and were each fined 393,000 tenge (about $1,500). The Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law released a statement noting Feminita had tried repeatedly to register with authorities but was always rejected. The statement also mentioned that Feminita activists had been attacked during meetings in other cities in Kazakhstan and that “All this happened with complete inaction or direct connivance of the police against the aggressors.” Women’s Day vs Women’s Rights There are no reports indicating that the authorities in Almaty, or officials in any other city in Kazakhstan, have approved any requests from feminist groups to conduct public...

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Recovering Assets: Kazakhstan’s Prosecutors Expand Network to Moldova, Bulgaria

Kazakh prosecutors who focus on reclaiming national assets are sharing ideas and experiences with counterparts from Moldova and Bulgaria, two eastern European countries where anti-corruption investigators have faced big challenges. The Asset Recovery Committee of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan signed agreements in those nations in February, increasing the international collaboration that is essential to tracking down stolen wealth. Kazakhstan is building ties with foreign jurisdictions and institutions such as Interpol as it seeks to get back illegally acquired assets valued in the billions of dollars, much of it funneled out of the Central Asian country by powerful business and political figures over many years. “Strengthening partnerships in asset recovery plays a crucial role in combating illicit enrichment and ensuring transparency and accountability in financial systems worldwide,” said the Kazakh committee, which held a ceremony with the National Anti-Corruption Center of Moldova in Chișinău, the Moldovan capital. The Moldovan side discussed its national digital platforms, legal framework, and procedures for asset seizure, freezing, and management. The Kazakh side explained Kazakhstan’s asset recovery law and how recovered funds are being reinvested in social projects. Some money has been earmarked for facilities such as schools and medical facilities. Kazakh prosecutors also signed a deal with the Commission for Illegal Asset Forfeiture of Bulgaria in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, allowing for “active collaboration in the tracing, identification, seizure, and repatriation of assets,” the Kazakh asset recovery committee said. Kazakhstan’s 2023 asset recovery law, described by the government as in line with “international standards,” has aided the country in successful efforts to repatriate some lost wealth. Partners such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime have encouraged Kazakhstan to be transparent about how the recovered funds are used as a way to build confidence among Kazakh citizens who are worried about corruption. There have also been concerns that the law could be used selectively, targeting some suspects and sparing others, but Kazakhstan’s international outreach has received high marks in many circles. Bulgaria has made some progress against graft, but still has a lot of work ahead. In a report published last month, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body said Bulgaria had fully implemented seven of its 28 recommendations to prevent corruption and promote government integrity. Of the other 21 recommendations, 11 have been partly implemented and 10 have not been implemented. Moldova´s chief anti-corruption prosecutor, Veronica Dragalin, announced her resignation last month because of a governing party bill that would merge her office with the office of organized crime prosecutors. Dragalin, who previously worked as a U.S. federal prosecutor, said the change would undermine national security and benefit people involved in crime. Bulgaria is in the European Union; Moldova has applied for membership. A 2024 index compiled by Transparency International ranks countries by perceived levels of public sector corruption – 0 is very corrupt and 100 is very clean. Kazakhstan scored 40, up one point since 2023; Bulgaria scored 43 points, down two points since 2023; and Moldova also scored 43, up...