Traumatic guns may soon be banned in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Senate has approved amendments into the country's legislation regulating operation of interior affairs authorities in the first reading, Tengrinews reports. The new changes will limit use of traumatic guns to police officers only. "The amendments involve provisions withdrawing traumatic guns from civil use and making them law enforcement weapon," Minister of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan Kalmukhanbet Kassymov said, presenting the law draft in the first reading at the plenary meeting of the Senate. The amendments also include provisions of the Criminal Code that introduce punishment for crimes against security of information technology, for distribution of knowingly false information and for participation in foreign armed conflicts. And the law on countering extremism is going to get provisions banning use of networks and communication means to spread extremist ideas, publish and distribute materials of extremist nature, he said. The amendments also involve provisions enabling the government to interrupt operations of communication networks if they are used for criminal purposes. "Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan and his deputies are vested with the authorities to order temporary suspension of operation of the networks or communication means and limiting of Internet access," the Minister explained. The law draft was approved in the first reading. According to the procedure, it must now be passed in the second reading, and in case it approved, it will be sent to the President for signing. By Baubek Konyrov