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Prostitution in Kazakhstan is itself legal, but acts facilitating prostitution, such as operating a brothel or prostitution ring, are illegal. Forced prostitution and prostitution connected to organised crime are prohibited. Prostitution is a serious problem. NGOs reported that criminal prostitution rings often included local law enforcement officials.
Estimates of the number of prostitutes in Kazakhstan vary from 4,000 and 25.000, including a number from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
Sex workers often face harassment, extortion, arbitrary arrest, rape and violence from the police.
HIV testing is mandatory for male sex workers, however in practice female sex workers are also forced to have the test. Any sex worker who continues to offer services after a positive test could be prosecuted for the deliberate spreading of an infection.