Kazakhstan’s lawmakers have taken a significant step toward implementing a ban on LGBTQ expression in the country, as the lower house of parliament unanimously approved legislation that would criminalize what the government terms “LGBT propaganda.”

The bill, which passed Wednesday with no opposition, would prohibit LGBTQ-related content across online platforms and in mainstream media, according to Reuters. Violators would face financial penalties, while repeat offenders could be sentenced to up to 10 days in jail.

The legislation now advances to Kazakhstan’s Senate, where it is widely expected to pass. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has already signaled his intention to sign the measure into law once it completes the parliamentary process.

This development represents a significant shift in Kazakhstan’s approach to LGBTQ rights. While consensual same-sex relationships are not criminalized in the Central Asian nation, the move aligns Kazakhstan more closely with neighboring Russia, which implemented similar “propaganda” laws in 2013 and expanded them in 2022.

Kazakhstan, a predominantly Muslim nation of approximately 19 million people, gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The country occupies a strategic position in Central Asia, sharing borders with Russia to the north, China to the east, and Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan to the south.

Human rights observers have documented ongoing challenges for LGBTQ Kazakhs even before this legislation. The U.S. State Department’s 2023 human rights report highlighted “threats of violence and significant online and in-person verbal abuse” directed at LGBTQ individuals in Kazakhstan. The report also noted that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity remains widespread throughout Kazakh society.

The legislation follows similar moves by other countries in the region and beyond. Russia’s propaganda law, first passed in 2013 and significantly expanded in 2022, has been widely criticized by international human rights organizations. Georgia, which lies west of Kazakhstan in the Caucasus region, passed similar legislation earlier this year despite significant protests. Hungary, an EU member state, has also implemented restrictions on LGBTQ content in recent years.

Critics of such laws argue they effectively criminalize LGBTQ identity and expression while proponents claim they protect traditional values and children from what they characterize as harmful influences.

The timing of this legislation comes amid broader geopolitical shifts in the region. Kazakhstan has historically maintained close ties with Russia while also cultivating relationships with Western nations and China. Some analysts view the anti-LGBTQ legislation as potentially signaling closer alignment with Moscow’s socially conservative positioning.

International human rights organizations have consistently opposed such “propaganda” laws, arguing they violate freedom of expression and legitimize discrimination against LGBTQ people. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2017 that Russia’s propaganda law violated European human rights conventions.

The State Department’s handling of LGBTQ issues has itself become a point of controversy. Jessica Stern, who served as special U.S. envoy for LGBTQ and intersex rights in the Biden administration, recently criticized the White House for what she described as the “deliberate erasure” of LGBTQ and intersex people from the State Department’s 2024 human rights report.

As Kazakhstan moves closer to implementing this ban, advocates warn it could further marginalize an already vulnerable population and potentially inspire similar legislation in other countries throughout the region.