“May I ask you something?”: street harassment cases rise in Kazakhstan

Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstan has recorded a record number of cases related to harassment in public places. In 2025, authorities registered 115.9 thousand administrative offenses under Article 449 of the Administrative Code, which is 29 percent more than in the previous year, citing the First Credit Bureau. According to analysts, the article “Harassment in public places” covers intrusive and persistent behavior such as aggressively offering services — including fortune-telling, prostitution, or selling goods — as well as begging in public areas.