Ministry advocates for clemency for certain female inmates in jail
In Kazakhstan, a significant shift in criminal policy is underway, particularly concerning women convicted of non-violent crimes. The Kazakh Parliament is currently discussing a bill titled “On amnesty on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” which aims to humanize criminal policy and prioritise the needs of vulnerable populations such as women with underage children, pregnant women, veterans, pensioners, and disabled persons [1].
The bill, if passed, will impact **833 women** who are subject to this amnesty. Out of these, **109** women could potentially be released outright, while the sentences of **724** women will be reduced [1]. The amnesty targets individuals convicted of crimes that do not pose a serious threat to state security or citizens, effectively including many non-violent offenders [1].
The agency reported that **2002** women are currently serving sentences for non-violent crimes, with **13** pregnant women and **58** women having children under three years old among them [2]. The release of more than 2000 convicts could save the budget up to 5.8 million tenge per day, considering the daily cost of one convict is 2900 tenge, amounting to 2.1 billion tenge per year [3].
Beyond this amnesty, Kazakhstan has been working on broader reforms to protect women's rights and combat domestic violence. The introduction of the *Law on Ensuring the Rights of Women and the Safety of Children* in June 2024 has led to a decline in crimes against women and children. The law toughens penalties for domestic violence and ensures that lenient sentences or reconciliations with perpetrators do not apply in severe cases, particularly those involving minors [2].
However, cases such as Elvira Erkebayeva illustrate ongoing challenges where abused women face criminal prosecution rather than support, showing an area where policy reform could be relevant [3]. This underscores the need for continued efforts to improve the legal treatment of women, particularly those who have been victims of abuse or violence.
The Ministry has also proposed considering the social status of convicts during amnesty, with **1220** women convicted of minor and medium severity crimes potentially being exempted from serving their sentences [4]. Additionally, **1766** of these women are first-time offenders, according to the agency's data [2].
Notably, **5055** women convicted of serious and very serious crimes could have their sentences reduced [5]. The MIA has also proposed exempting from punishment only prisoners whose crimes are not related to violence [1]. The agency has reported that **29** women with disabilities are serving sentences, with **226** women having many children [2].
In conclusion, the current policy in Kazakhstan regarding sentence reduction or release for women convicted of non-violent crimes is centred around the recent amnesty bill, which offers both releases and sentence mitigation for a significant number of female prisoners who meet the vulnerability and non-violent criteria [1]. The broader reforms on women’s rights and protections against domestic violence are also being implemented, aiming to reduce the criminalization of abused women and improve their legal treatment [2][3].
The current amnesty bill, if passed, would impact 833 women, with 109 potentially being released and the sentences of 724 women reduced, targeting individuals convicted of non-violent crimes. Beyond this amnesty, ongoing reforms aim to combat domestic violence, with the Law on Ensuring the Rights of Women and the Safety of Children leading to a decline in crimes against women and children. However, cases like Elvira Erkebayeva highlight the ongoing need for policy reform to improve the legal treatment of women, particularly those who have been victims of abuse or violence.
