Kazakhstan's Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov stated that conclusions about the crime situation cannot be drawn from news feeds. In an interview for Police Day, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) also spoke out against softening punishment for drunk driving and commented on criticism regarding 'Finesstan'.
WHAT THE HEAD OF THE MIA SAID ABOUT CRIME
According to Polisia.kz, Yerzhan Sadenov stated that a large number of reports about crimes does not mean the crime situation is worsening.
'One cannot draw conclusions about the crime situation based on news feeds. It must be taken into account that the number of information sources has grown significantly. Previously, crimes were simply talked about less,' he said.
According to the minister, there has been a steady decrease in crime in the country in recent years. In 2026, the number of recorded crimes decreased by 9%, or 3,600, compared to the same period last year.
Also, as the head of the MIA noted, the number of robberies fell by almost 40%, and muggings by more than 20%. The number of thefts, cattle rustling, hooliganism, serious and particularly serious crimes is also decreasing.
WHAT YERZHAN SADENOV SAID IN RESPONSE TO CRITICISM ABOUT 'FINESSTAN'
Separately, the head of the MIA commented on the widespread opinion that Kazakhstan is 'Finesstan'. According to Yerzhan Sadenov, fines are used all over the world and are one of the tools for maintaining order.
The minister emphasised that punishment is applied to those who deliberately break the rules, and its main goal is to ensure the safety of citizens.
WHY THE HEAD OF THE MIA OPPOSED LENIENCY FOR DRUNK DRIVERS
Yerzhan Sadenov also commented on proposals to reduce the period of licence suspension for driving under the influence, which are being discussed in the context of Kazakhstan's first ever administrative amnesty.
The head of the MIA stated that he does not support such initiatives. According to him, softening the punishment would mean encouraging drunk driving, and the principle of absolute sobriety behind the wheel should remain unchanged.
As the minister reported, since the beginning of 2026, more than 200 road accidents have occurred due to the fault of drunk drivers, in which almost 300 people were injured, and there have been fatalities.
'Any prerequisites that could cause human tragedy must be eradicated,' emphasised Yerzhan Sadenov.
WHAT OTHER STATEMENTS DID THE MINISTER MAKE
In the interview, Yerzhan Sadenov reported that:
- a warning system is in place in Kazakhstan, and more than 7,000 warnings have already been issued to potential offenders;
- every citizen's report of an offence is checked, and liability for false reports remains;
- the digitalisation of the law enforcement system continues in the country;
- special attention in police training is given to knowledge in the field of information technology, analytics, and communications.
