February 22, Interfax: Four girls were trafficked from Temirtau to China through fraudulent means by a year-old man who forced them into prostitution and the production of pornography in Urumchi.
After being held several days, the girls were able to call their mothers in Temirtau who reported the situation to the police. When the police detained the trafficker, he attempted to bribe them.
The trafficker was charged with several crimes, including trafficking in persons and bribing an official. Police foresee finding more victims in the course of their investigation. Various newspapers have reported as many as 12 victims discovered so far, however media estimates vary. March 19, Interfax: Police in Almaty rescued a year-old girl, who was sexually exploited for several months. A few days earlier, during the "Stop-Trafficking" operation in Ust-Kamenogorsk, the police was discovered the sexual exploitation of a year-old girl by a year-old trafficker who offered her services to his friends.
March 19, Izvestia-K: Three female traffickers were convicted in March by a Shymkent court for forcing a year-old girl from the South-Kazakhstan Oblast into prostitution. In , the girl was held against her will for several months and often physically abused by her captors.
During the trial, evidence of extensive physical injuries was presented. One trafficker was sentenced to seven years in prison; the others were sentenced to 5 years with postponement until their children reach the age of March 28, Liter: The regional court of Zhambyl Oblast reevaluated the sentencing of 5 defendants sentenced to 1 to 3 years' imprisonment in December by the Shu court.
