Kazakhstan Bans LGBT “Propaganda” Online

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS LGBT Politics Europe

ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN — (November 14, 2025) Kazakhstan has become the latest country to enact sweeping restrictions on LGBTQ+ visibility, after lawmakers approved a controversial bill banning what it broadly labels “LGBT propaganda” across media and online platforms.

The legislation — passed by parliament this week — prohibits any content that “promotes nontraditional sexual relations.” Individuals and media outlets found violating the law face significant fines, while repeat offenses may result in up to 10 days in jail.

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Kazakhstan’s new measure places the country alongside Russia, Hungary, and Georgia, all of which have adopted similar legislation under the stated goal of “protecting children.” Human rights organizations, however, say the laws are designed to silence LGBTQ+ voices and increase state control over online expression.

Authorities Gain Power to Block LGBTQ+ Content

Under the new rules, any media or digital material deemed to “promote” LGBTQ+ relationships must carry an 18+ age restriction label. Regulators are also authorized to block access to content or platforms found in violation — a move rights advocates warn will accelerate censorship across the region.

Lawmaker Yelnur Beisenbayev of the ruling Amanat party defended the measure, claiming children are being exposed to information that “distorts their understanding of family and morality.” President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has echoed similar messaging in recent months, calling for stronger protection of “traditional values.”

Rights Groups Condemn the Law

Seven international human rights organizations — including Access Now, Human Rights Watch, and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee — issued a joint statement criticizing the legislation as fundamentally incompatible with democratic principles.

“Discriminatory and rights-violating provisions like these have no place in any society that claims to respect human rights,” the groups said.

Local activists say the bill is part of a broader crackdown on civil liberties.

“Tomorrow these well-fed, deaf, and blind-to-the-people deputies will start pushing through even more laws that violate human rights,” said Dinara Smailova, head of Kazakhstan’s anti-violence advocacy group Ne Molchi (“Don’t Be Silent”). “All this repression is meant to make people afraid and keep them silent.”

Part of a Global Trend in LGBTQ+ Censorship

A 2024 analysis by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) found an alarming worldwide rise in digital censorship targeting LGBTQ+ users. The report noted that more than 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced across U.S. state legislatures last year alone.

The EFF also highlighted the growing use of dating and messaging apps by authorities in the Middle East and North Africa to surveil, entrap, and persecute queer individuals. Grindr has been blocked in countries including Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

“With anti-LGBTQ+ bills restricting free expression and privacy — alongside content moderation decisions that disproportionately impact LGBTQ+ users — digital spaces that once felt safe for queer communities are increasingly under threat,” the EFF warned.

Kazakhstan’s legislation is expected to take effect once signed by President Tokayev.

Stay tuned to JRL CHARTS LGBT Politics Europe for breaking updates on LGBTQ+ rights, advocacy, and political developments across the region.

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