“An attack on a doctor is a stolen life”: Kazakhstan adopts criminal article to protect medical workers

Tengrinews.kz – Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis has approved amendments to the Criminal Code in the second reading aimed at protecting healthcare workers. A new Article 380-3 is being introduced, tightening liability for attacks on doctors, paramedics and ambulance drivers.

Mazhilis deputy Askhat Aimagambetov said the new article clearly separates violence from threats, with different penalties for each.

At the same time, punishment specifically for threats was softened compared to earlier proposals. Community service was reduced from 600 to 300 hours, fines were lowered, and the term of restriction or deprivation of liberty was reduced from three to two years.

Penalties for the use of violence were left unchanged, the deputy said.

“We are obliged to protect a doctor who has no weapon other than their skills and knowledge. The purpose of this bill is not only to protect the doctor as an individual, but to protect the health of the entire population. An attack on a doctor is not just stolen time or stolen treatment — it is a stolen human life,” Aimagambetov said.

He added that a surgeon with a broken arm caused by hooligans means 1,000 operations that could not be performed, while a beaten ambulance driver means an entire crew that failed to arrive at an emergency call.

How offenders will be punished

According to the draft law, different penalties are provided for violence against healthcare workers and ambulance drivers while performing their duties.

If the violence does not pose a threat to life and health, or in cases of threats of violence, penalties include:

• a fine;
• corrective labor;
• community service of up to 300 hours;
• restriction or deprivation of liberty for up to two years.

If there are aggravating circumstances — an attack on two or more people, committed by a group, repeatedly, or during a state of emergency, mass unrest, emergency regime or anti-terrorist operation — penalties include:

• restriction of liberty for three to seven years;
• or imprisonment for three to seven years.

In the initial version of the bill, the minimum punishment included a fine of 500–1,000 MCI (about 1.9–3.9 million tenge in 2025), corrective labor in the same amount, community service of up to 600 hours, restriction of liberty for up to three years, or imprisonment for up to three years.

If violence poses a threat to life and health, imprisonment ranges from five to ten years, and from seven to twelve years under aggravating circumstances.

Why the law was adopted

During discussions in the Mazhilis, not all deputies supported the bill. Some argued that the proposed penalties were too harsh. As a result, part of the measures was softened.

During the second reading vote, 95 deputies participated: 82 voted in favor, 6 against, and 7 abstained. The bill was approved by the Mazhilis and sent to the Senate for consideration.