Life behind bars: Kyrgyzstan proposes life sentence for femicide
Kyrgyzstan is considering introducing life sentence for femicide, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports from Bishkek.
The bill has been submitted for public consultation.
The proposal seeks to add a new article to the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic titled “Murder of a Woman (Femicide)”. It would define femicide as the killing of a woman motivated by gender-based discrimination or committed in connection with rape, or killing of a pregnant woman.
For these grave offenses, the bill prescribes life imprisonment with mandatory confiscation of property. Offenders convicted of these crimes would be ineligible for amnesty.
This initiative follows earlier proposals to criminalize stalking and strengthen penalties for harassment in public spaces. Kyrgyzstan has also introduced electronic monitoring of domestic abusers.
In October 2025, Kyrgyzstan enacted legislation toughening penalties for crimes related to domestic violence, underscoring a broader push to address gender-based violence and protect women’s rights.
