NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has signed into law a controversial bill that allows the authorities to shut down social media and messaging platforms to protect users from cyberbullying.
Toqaev endorsed the legislation on May 3 amid warnings by critics that the new law could be used by the state to silence its critics.
The bill was approved by lawmakers on April 20.
Under the law, which amends the law on the protection of children's rights, foreign social-media networks and messaging services are obliged to register in Kazakhstan and set up local offices to receive permission to operate in the Central Asian state.
Companies affected have six months to register in Kazakhstan and open local offices.
The bill was initiated by lawmakers Aidos Sarym and Dinara Zakieva, who also proposed allowing regulators to block websites without court orders.
Internet experts and activists criticized the legislation, saying it would give the authorities tighter control over social networks and messaging, while several rallies were held in recent weeks to protest against the legislation.
Diana Okremova, chairwoman of the Legal Media Center group, which defends the rights of Internet users, told RFE/RL earlier that the legislation needed additional work, as there are no clear definitions of what can be recognized as cyberbullying of children or what the bill calls the "distribution of dangerous information."
Okremova pointed to another controversial law, one on inciting social discord, which she said also had "unclear definitions" that have allowed the authorities to jail dozens of civil rights activists, journalists, bloggers, and representatives of religious groups in recent years.
Rights activists have accused the Kazakh authorities of purposely using "unclear language" in legislation to crack down on dissent.
International human rights groups have said that Kazakhstan frequently blocks or restricts access to social media.
Freedom House, in its annual report on the level of the Internet freedom in the world, defined Kazakhstan as a "not free" country.