Life imprisonment as punishment will be introduced...

Life imprisonment as punishment will be introduced in Kazakhstan as from January 1, 2004.
On December 29, 2003 the Senate introduced the necessary changes into the criminal legislation and consequently Parliament adopted the law.
On December 17, President Nursultan Nazarbayev had signed an edict imposing a moratorium on capital punishment.
Just after that the Justice Ministry sent a bill to Parliament, suggesting the alternative punishment of life imprisonment. In Zhetikara village in Kostanai oblast, a reformatory was being prepared for such category of prisoners.
According to [Deputy Justice Minister] Sabyrzhan Bekbosynov, this year about 20 Kazakhstanis were sentenced to capital punishment. All of them will be imprisoned in Zhetikara.
Only one deputy voted against life imprisonment. The Members of Parliament took into account public opinion on the death penalty issue. In 2002 almost 69.4 % of the Kazakhstani population was against the moratorium for capital punishment. However in 2003, the situation changed to 60% in favour to 40% against.