Strengthened penalties for bribe-taking enacted in Kazakhstan
In a bid to strengthen its fight against corruption, Kazakhstan has undertaken significant reforms in its anti-corruption framework. The Anti-Corruption Agency (Antikor) has been merged with the National Security Committee (KNB) to form a new Anti-Corruption Service, which will be responsible for core anti-corruption activities [1][2].
The reorganization aims to make anti-corruption efforts more efficient, potentially affecting business projects by reducing corruption risks and increasing transparency [1][2]. This centralization also aims to streamline anti-corruption operations [2].
The new Anti-Corruption Service has already shown its effectiveness, uncovering 480 cases of bribery over the past two years, and an additional 37 cases of abetting bribery [3]. The penalties for these crimes have also increased, although the specific details of the increased fines were not specified in the article [3].
The increased focus on enforcement is evident in high-profile sentences, such as the nine-year prison term given to former Minister of Justice Marat Beketayev for fraud and theft [2]. There is also a proposal to introduce criminal penalties for the sale of unregulated meat, highlighting an increased focus on enforcing regulations [4].
The expanded role of law enforcement, particularly the KNB, could lead to increased scrutiny and enforcement in business dealings [1][2]. Law enforcement is tasked with identifying and addressing various forms of illegal activity, including corruption, with a focus on effective enforcement [3].
New norms have been introduced to strengthen the responsibility of law enforcement officers and judges for committing corruption crimes [5]. Interference in business by law enforcement officers can now result in up to 5 years imprisonment [5]. If an individual is convicted for bribery amounting to 100,000 tenge, the minimum fine will be 2 million tenge [6].
Currently, 613 business projects with a total investment of over 16 trillion tenge are under "anti-corruption monitoring" [7]. The threshold for fines has doubled for intermediaries, although no details were given about any changes to the fines for intermediaries [8].
The changes have increased the responsibility for committing corruption crimes, according to the head of the investigative department of the city's agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for combating corruption, Rustem Taituleev [9]. Apart from increased imprisonment, fines for bribery have also increased [10]. However, no details were provided about any changes to the minimum fine for bribery amounting to 100,000 tenge or any changes to the threshold for fines for interfering in business by law enforcement officers.
In summary, Kazakhstan's recent changes involve a more centralized and vigorous approach to combating corruption, which is likely to impact business projects by enhancing transparency and reducing corruption risks. Increased penalties for corruption and other forms of illegal activity also demonstrate a stricter enforcement environment.
The reorganization of the Anti-Corruption Agency and the National Security Committee to form a new Anti-Corruption Service signals a shift in Kazakhstan's policy-and-legislation and politics, aiming to make anti-corruption efforts more efficient, particularly in business projects [1][2]. This centralization and increased focus on enforcement in business dealings could also lead to stricter general-news and crime-and-justice measures, as highlighted by the increased penalties for corruption and illegal activities [2][3][5][6][10].
