Kazakhstan Tightens Legislation Against Extremism

Kazakhstan has toughened legislation aimed to thwart extremists.

President Nursultan Nazarbaev's office said that under a bill he signed into law on November 3, the procedures to define a group as terrorist or extremist will be simplified.

The law allows authorities to shut down any group designated as extremist or terrorist immediately and confiscate its property.

Websites deemed to have extremist and terrorist content will be blocked in the country.

Kazakh citizens travelling abroad will be warned about their accountability for joining a terrorist or extremist organization.

Kazakh authorities have said that hundreds of Kazakh citizens have fought alongside other militants against government forces in Syria.

Government critics say the state has used anti-extremist legislation to crack down on the opposition and independent media outlets.