Kyrgyz president proposes to introduce death penalty for heinous crimes against children, women

On September 30, mass media reported about the abduction, rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan. The case was taken under personal control of Sadyr Japarov, according to Presidential Spokesperson Askat Alakozov.

“The Head of State expressed deep sorrow upon receiving the reports of the crime, which had shocked the public. At the same time, the President entrusted Murat Ukushev, chief of the legal support department at the Presidential Administration, with drafting legislative amendments to toughen penalties for crimes against children, girls, and women. Specifically, the proposed amendments include the introduction of the death penalty in cases of child rape as well as rape and murder of women,” he explained.

A petition from citizens calling for amendments to the Criminal Code was published on the koomtalkuu.gov.kg web-portal.

The initiators call for introducing maximum punishment for crimes such murder committed with extreme cruelty, the murder of a minor and murder accompanied by rape and other violent sexual acts.

It is noted that the death penalty would only be applied after the verdict enters into legal force, with all judicial procedures completed. The death penalty will not be applied to women or minors.

Earlier it was reproted that the Lower Chamber of the Kazakh Parliament adopted the Law "On ratification of the Agreement between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan on cooperation in combating transnational crime." The agreement was signed last October 10 in Ashgabat to strengthen cooperation between the two states in combating organized crime, illegal drug trafficking, illicit migration, human trafficking and other crimes.