Capital punishment is to be replaced by life imprisonment

Astana, March 26, 2009 (Khabar) - Currency exchange regulation law revised by Parliament. The Ministry of Justice suggests introducing amendments which will allow resorting to capital punishment only for committing terrorist acts involving human victims and for very serious crimes committed at wartime. The Majilis has approved these changes during the first reading. In the case this law is adopted, the death penalty will be eliminated from a number of articles and only life imprisonment will be used as its alternative option. Lively debates in the chamber were caused by the amendments to the law on currency exchange regulations and currency control. MP Ivan Chirkalin demanded to cancel the right of the national bank to establish the limits of deviation of the currency purchase and selling rate through exchange points. One more point which was disputed actively by the Majilis members was concerning the ban for residents to purchase gold bars. According to the acting law, citizens and enterprises can buy fine gold and gold bars only in banks. In their turn, the National bank and the committee on finance of the Majilis offered to reject this restriction. According to the deputy chairman of the National bank, Daniyar Akishev, this amendment presents Kazakh citizens with an alternative source of investing funds. After long discussions, the Majilis members nevertheless adopted the amendments.

Daniyar Akishev, deputy chairman, National bank of RK:
- We aim at creating an additional financial asset first of all which will be suitable for investment both for the population and enterprises. Correspondingly, the lack of investment tools is being criticized today along with the insufficiency of funds for investments. This amendment will allow gold to obtain an investment feature in its own right.

The chamber also approved amendments to the law on the state defense order. The changes were designed to support local producers. The bill stipulates the distribution of state orders in Kazakhstan’s enterprises as a priority.