Kazakhstan
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist for ordinary crimes
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Capital crimes are: premeditated murder, genocide,...
- News items in the archive
- 142
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Kazakhstan is classified as Abolitionist for ordinary crimes in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 142 news items on Kazakhstan, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- JANUARY 1, 2008KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
- DECEMBER 18, 2007KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakhstan voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Kazakhstan voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- MAY 16, 2007KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN SET TO "VIRTUALLY" ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
at today's joint session of the Kazakhstan parliament's two chambers, President Nursultan Nazarbayev
- MARCH 29, 2007KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES NEARING ABOLITION
activists hope the countries of Central Asia will soon abolish capital punishment. Turkmenistan abolished the death penalty in 1999.
- MARCH 12, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. HANDS OFF CAIN AT THE ROUND TABLE ON DEATH PENALTY, MORATORIUM AND INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
The Round Table “Abolition of Death Penalty, UN World Moratorium and Accession to the International
- JANUARY 1, 2007KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
- DECEMBER 8, 2006KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN'S HIGHEST COURT UPHOLDS GUILTY VERDICTS IN OPPOSITION POLITICIAN'S MURDER CASE
Kazakhstan's highest court upheld the conviction of 10 men of involvement in the killing of an opposition politician, turning down appeals from the victim's and defendants' representatives, who demanded further investigation.
- AUGUST 31, 2006KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF OPPOSITION LEADER
former security officer Rustam Ibragimov, one of the two key defendants in the murder trial of opposition leader Altynbek Sarsenbaev, was sentenced to death.
- AUGUST 10, 2006KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
PROSECUTORS SEEK DEATH PENALTY IN TRIAL FOR MURDER OF KAZAKH
Prosecutors have asked for the death penalty for Erzhan Utembaev, former head of the administration of Kazakhstan's Senate, and Rustam Ibragimov, a former law-enforcement officer, for their alleged roles in the murder of Kazakh opposition leader Altynbek
- MAY 30, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. HOC MEETS WITH OPPOSITION, DISCUSSES UN MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
Hands Off Cain met with two Kazakh opposition leaders during its visit to the country: Amirzahan Kosanov, Secretary of Democratic Choice of Kazakistan and the party’s founder Galymzhan Zahikianov.
- MAY 29, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. ‘FROM MORATORIUM TO THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY’
the seminar entitled “Kazakhstan from the Moratorium on Death Penalty Toward the Adoption of the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR” took place in the country’s capital Almaty.
- MAY 26, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. HANDS OFF CAIN WILL ATTEND THE MEETING ON THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
experts from 8 countries will convene in Almaty on Monday, May 29, to attend the Coordination meeting of NGOs “Kazakhstan from the Moratorium on Death Penalty Toward the Adoption of the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR”.
- MAY 24, 2006KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL PROPOSES TO KEEP DEATH PENALTY FOR TERRORISM
the Constitutional Council of Kazakhstan proposed to keep the death penalty as a punishment for terrorism.
- MAY 2, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. THREE UYGHURS FACE EXECUTION IF EXTRADITED
it was reported that human rights groups fear that three Uyghurs might face torture and even death if extradited to China.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2006KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. DEATH PENALTY MAY BE ABOLISHED - OMBUDSMAN
Kazakhstan may abolish the death penalty according to Human Rights Ombudsman Bolat Baykadamov.
- FEBRUARY 12, 2006KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
CENTRAL ASIA. ACTIVISTS CAMPAIGN TO END DEATH PENALTY
human rights activists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan met to plan a two-year campaign to abolish the death penalty in Central Asia.
- JANUARY 1, 2006KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
- NOVEMBER 4, 2005KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY DEPENDENT ON SOCIETY - JUSTICE MINISTER
the death penalty will be abolished in Kazakhstan if an appropriate position is formed in society.
- JANUARY 1, 2005KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The European Union hoped that a moratorium on the death...
The European Union hoped that a moratorium on the death penalty that Kazakhstan imposed on December 17, 2003 would lead to its absolute abolishment, Dutch Ambassador to Kazakhstan Peter van Leeuwen said at a press conference in Almaty
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The press-conference in Almaty took place by initiative...
The press-conference in Almaty took place by initiative of Penal ReformInternational
- JULY 28, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
It was reported that the moratorium on the death penalty...
It was reported that the moratorium on the death penalty that had been in act in Kazakhstan since the beginning of 2004 had not caused an increase in crime in the country
- JULY 27, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The introduction of a moratorium on the death penalty...
The introduction of a moratorium on the death penalty in Kazakhstan had not helped resolve all problems facing prison inmates with death penalty sentences, said Ivar Vikki, head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's center in Almaty
- JULY 6, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The Kazakh Foreign Ministry was taking measures to...
The Kazakh Foreign Ministry was taking measures to ease the sentences passed by Chinese courts on four Kazakh citizens found guilty of committing crimes in China, the director of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry's consular service department, Valikhan Konurbay
- MAY 17, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev wants the death...
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev wants the death penalty to be fully abolished in Kazakhstan
- MAY 14, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
It was reported that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev...
It was reported that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev wanted the death penalty to be fully abolished in Kazakhstan
- APRIL 12, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
On December 17, 2003, President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced a moratorium on executions
- APRIL 7, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
It was revealed by Mukhamedzhan Pakirdinov, head of...
It was revealed by Mukhamedzhan Pakirdinov, head of the Kazakh President's juridical system department, that according to a Gallup poll conducted in the country, the majority of people in Kazakhstan thought the time was not right for the abolishment of th
- APRIL 6, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Muhubuer Zhumabayi, a 27-year-old Kazak national, was...
Muhubuer Zhumabayi, a 27-year-old Kazak national, was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People's Court in Xian, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, after being convicted of killing a fellow villager with a knife on 6 July 2003
- MARCH 11, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a law...
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a law amending the country's Criminal Code, Criminal Proceedings Code and the Penal Code as a follow up to the decree signed by him on December 17, 2003, instituting the moratorium on capital punishment