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 19, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The EU made the following declaration, "The EU welcomes...
The EU made the following declaration, "The EU welcomes the moratorium on the death penalty introduced in Kazakhstan by presidential decree on 18 December 2003
- JANUARY 10, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh press published a copy of a bill signed by President...
Kazakh press published a copy of a bill signed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev which replaced capital punishment with life imprisonment
- JANUARY 6, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The European Union issued a statement welcoming the...
The European Union issued a statement welcoming the Kazakh leadership's decision to declare a moratorium on the death penalty
- DECEMBER 30, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Life imprisonment as punishment will be introduced...
Life imprisonment as punishment will be introduced in Kazakhstan as from January 1, 2004
- DECEMBER 18, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a death...
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a death penalty moratorium, deputy head of the presidential administration in charge of the state and legal department Igor Rogov said at a briefing in Astana
- OCTOBER 15, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty will be cancelled in Kazakhstan some...
The death penalty will be cancelled in Kazakhstan some day, President Nursultan Nazarbayev said
- OCTOBER 6, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh TV's first channel reported that the West Kazakhstan...
Kazakh TV's first channel reported that the West Kazakhstan Regional court had sentenced a Russian citizen to death for killing four people
- OCTOBER 6, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Four members of a criminal gang were sentenced to death...
Four members of a criminal gang were sentenced to death by the Karaganda Regional court in Kazakhstan after being found guilty of murdering five lorry drivers between February and June 2002
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev was reported...
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev was reported as advocating the gradual abolition of the death penalty, urging that his position be explained to the public
- AUGUST 19, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh Justice Minister Onalsyn Zhumabekov said the...
Kazakh Justice Minister Onalsyn Zhumabekov said the government planned to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment as of January 1, 2004
- AUGUST 3, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The Hands Off Cain delegation comprised by MEP Benedetto...
The Hands Off Cain delegation comprised by MEP Benedetto Della Vedova, regional parliamentary Bruno Mellano, HOC board member Antonio Stango and Rosanna Degiovanni, finished the first part of their Central Asian mission, to gather support in favour of a U
- JULY 10, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty rate in Kazakhstan was declining,...
The death penalty rate in Kazakhstan was declining, Justice Minister Onalsyn Zhumabekov told a session of the Legal Policy Council in Astana
- JULY 10, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The introduction of life prison sentences in Kazakhstan...
The introduction of life prison sentences in Kazakhstan for those who commit grave crimes would facilitate the full abolition of the death penalty in the country, Kazakh Justice Minister Onalsyn Zhumabekov said
- JUNE 23, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
"Kazakhstan will definitely have life sentences
"Kazakhstan will definitely have life sentences
- APRIL 11, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
International human rights organisations welcomed Kazakh...
International human rights organisations welcomed Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's initiatives aimed at making criminal law more humane and introducing life imprisonment as an alternative to the death penalty
- APRIL 5, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Pyotr Posmakov, head of the penalty execution department...
Pyotr Posmakov, head of the penalty execution department of the Justice Ministry called for the abolition of the death penalty in Kazakhstan in a newspaper interview printed in the Kazakh weekly Karavan
- FEBRUARY 21, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
An Azerbaijani national was sentenced to death in Kazakhstan...
An Azerbaijani national was sentenced to death in Kazakhstan for murdering five people
- FEBRUARY 3, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakhstan will declare a moratorium on capital punishment...
Kazakhstan will declare a moratorium on capital punishment as early as by the end of 2003, the speaker of the Senate, Oralbay Abdykarimov, said during a meeting with Baroness Vivien Stern, the honorary secretary-general Penal Reform International and a me
- JANUARY 13, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Eighteen people were sentenced to death in Kazakhstan...
Eighteen people were sentenced to death in Kazakhstan in 2002
- JANUARY 7, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
According to a public opinion poll conducted by "Komkon-2...
According to a public opinion poll conducted by "Komkon-2 Eurasia", 57,6% of persons polled support the preservation of the death penalty, 40,8% want its abolishment, 1,6 % had no opinion on the matter
- JANUARY 6, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
In accordance with the country's new criminal code...
In accordance with the country's new criminal code it was planned to introduce a moratorium on capital punishment in Kazakhstan as of January 2003
- JANUARY 1, 2003KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: premeditated murder, genocide,...
Capital crimes are: premeditated murder, genocide, sabotage, and 8 military crimes
- DECEMBER 27, 2002KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
A law was put into place on December 27, 2002, abolishing...
A law was put into place on December 27, 2002, abolishing the death penalty for minors, women and men over the age of 65
- DECEMBER 27, 2002KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
"Kazakhstan will not have the opportunity to impose...
"Kazakhstan will not have the opportunity to impose a moratorium on the death penalty in the near future," Igor Rogov, deputy presidential chief-of-staff for judicial issues, said at a news conference in Astana
- DECEMBER 27, 2002KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a law...
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a law confirming amendments to criminal legislation aimed at mitigating punishments for a number of crimes
- DECEMBER 21, 2002KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
A public hearing regarding retention or abolishment...
A public hearing regarding retention or abolishment of capital punishment was held in Kyzylorda
- NOVEMBER 20, 2002KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The possibility of introducing a moratorium on capital...
The possibility of introducing a moratorium on capital punishment was discussed in the Almaty Justice Department
- OCTOBER 29, 2002KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kasymzhomart Tokayev, the Kazakh foreign minister also...
Kasymzhomart Tokayev, the Kazakh foreign minister also said in an interview with journalists following a meeting with acting OSCE Chairman, Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs and [Portuguese Communities Antonio Martins da Cruz in [Kazakh capital] Asta
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2002KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh ombudsman Bolat Baykadamov voiced an initiative...
Kazakh ombudsman Bolat Baykadamov voiced an initiative to abolish capital punishment in the country
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2002KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Kazakh Ombudsman Bolat Baikadamov declared it was time...
Kazakh Ombudsman Bolat Baikadamov declared it was time to abolish capital punishment in the country