"Imprisoned sauna workers for facilitating brothels in Shymkent"
In a shocking turn of events, three individuals from Shymkent were handed real prison sentences for their involvement in running brothels and exploiting women for prostitution. According to our reports, this information was shared via the Telegram channel of Shymkent courts.
These three culprits, S., K., and Zh., were administering saunas in Shymkent on Sauran Street and Tauke Khan Avenue. They were caught exchanging the contact information of women offering intimate services and recruiting clients for these services. On May 12, 2024, K. received a sum of 5,000 tenge for organizing a client, and another 5,000 tenge on February 1, 2025. S. also attempted to recruit a client through Zh., a technical employee, and both received a reward of 5,000 tenge on May 12, 2024.
Mitigating factors in the case were the defendants' genuine remorse and Zh.'s responsibility towards her two minor children. No aggravating circumstances were discovered.
The court found S., K., and Zh. guilty of their criminal actions. S. and K. were given sentences of 3.5 years in prison, while Zh. received a sentence of 3 years.
Last September, a verdict was handed down in Kostanay region against a woman accused of pimping for profit. Research reveals she offered jobs as prostitutes to other women.
Two women had previously been sentenced to four years in prison by a court in Astana for operating and managing a sex brothel. They did not admit their guilt. In addition, one of the convicted individuals had her property confiscated.
Article 309, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the RK details the penalties for organizing or operating brothels for prostitution or pimping for profit, which can lead to imprisonment for up to five years with confiscation of property.
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- In September of 2023, reports emerged that a verdict was delivered against an individual from Shymket, who was charged with pimping for profit, operating similarly to S., K., and Zh. mentioned earlier.
- The health-and-wellness sector is encouraging the establishment of more educational programs about sexual health to combat the exploitation of women in brothels, as exemplified by the cases in Shymkent and Astana.
- As of 2025, the general news landscape covers more topics related to crime and justice, reflecting a growing emphasis on matters like the confiscation of ill-gotten gains in cases such as those involving the brothel operations in Shymkent.
- The ongoing seven-year prison sentences for the two women who managed a sex brothel in Astana serve as a reminder of the consequences of engaging in such activities, as detailed under Article 309, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the RK.
- A recent trend in the health-and-wellness industry involves the promotion of establishments offering holistic care, as a response to the negative connotations associated with frequent visits to saunas such as those operated by S., K., and Zh. in Shymkent.
