Kazakhstan toughens punishment for corruption

©Reuters/Romeo Ranoco

Kazakstan's new Criminal Code will introduce a tougher punishment for bribes starting next year, Tengrinews reports citing the press service of the Prosecutor General.

"A new system of fines has been introduced; the fine will be calculated based on the size of the bribe. Accepting a bribe will result in a fine 50 times the amount of the bribe or imprisonment for up to 5 years with confiscation of property, a lifetime ban on holding certain (government) positions or engaging in certain activities," the Prosecutor General Office said.

In cases of a bribe being received through extortion, or by a group of persons upon prior agreement, or if the bribe involves a large amount of money, or the bribing occurs repeatedly, the bribe-taker will be punished by a fine equal to 70 times the amount of the bribe or imprisonment for 7 to 12 years with confiscation of property and a lifetime ban on holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities.

Receiving a bribe by a criminal group or on an especially large scale is punishable by a fine of 80 times the amount of the bribe or imprisonment for 10 to 15 years with confiscation of property, a lifetime ban on holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities.

The criminal law that is currently in force allows suspended sentences for corruption crimes, but the new Criminal Code has no such option.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the new Criminal Code last month. It will enter into force in January 2015.

Kazakstan's new Criminal Code will introduce a tougher punishment for bribes starting next year, Tengrinews reports citing the press service of the Prosecutor General.

"A new system of fines has been introduced; the fine will be calculated based on the size of the bribe. Accepting a bribe will result in a fine 50 times the amount of the bribe or imprisonment for up to 5 years with confiscation of property, a lifetime ban on holding certain (government) positions or engaging in certain activities," the Prosecutor General Office said.

In cases of a bribe being received through extortion, or by a group of persons upon prior agreement, or if the bribe involves a large amount of money, or the bribing occurs repeatedly, the bribe-taker will be punished by a fine equal to 70 times the amount of the bribe or imprisonment for 7 to 12 years with confiscation of property and a lifetime ban on holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities.

Receiving a bribe by a criminal group or on an especially large scale is punishable by a fine of 80 times the amount of the bribe or imprisonment for 10 to 15 years with confiscation of property, a lifetime ban on holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities.

The criminal law that is currently in force allows suspended sentences for corruption crimes, but the new Criminal Code has no such option.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the new Criminal Code last month. It will enter into force in January 2015.

Writing by Dinara Urazova, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina

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