Kazakhstan may ban goods with ‘Z’, ‘V’ and Wagner mercenary company logo, symbols of Russia’s war on Ukraine
Products with symbols “Z”, “V” and Russia’s Wagner mercenary company logo are proposed to be banned in Kazakhstan, Kazakh news website NUR reported on Aug. 4.
The prosecutor of the Public Interest Protection Department of the Semey Prosecutor's Office, Kuat Bapinov said the ban was being proposed because such goods cause an "ambiguous reactions" in society.
"In 2022, in connection with the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, demonstrations (of support for Russia) became more frequent in Kazakhstan, in particular on clothes, toys, vehicles with symbols Z or V," Bapinov said.
Semey is a city in northeastern Kazakhstan. The north and east of the country have the greatest percentages of the population who are of ethnic Russian origin.
Bapinov said that children’s toys are being advertised and sold in trade networks under names such as “Russian Army”, “Polite People” and so on, which symbolize threats to the sovereignty of countries.
"In connection with this, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Republic of Kazakhstan, — ed.) this year sent a proposal to the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on a legislative ban and the establishment of administrative responsibility for the manufacture, storage, importation, transportation and distribution in the country of paraphernalia, symbols, and signs, (which are) used by opposing parties in armed conflicts, in military or other violent actions against the sovereignty and political regime of another state," the prosecutor said.
Read also: Russian soldiers in Kazakhstan fear to fight in Ukraine, refuse to return home, says Ukraine’s intel
Entrepreneurs were advised to withdraw printing and blank products, toys, souvenirs, as well as other "ethnopoliticized" consumer goods from sale. In addition, the lessors of shopping areas were recommended to conduct a visual inspection of products sold by tenants at least once a month.
On May 22, 2022, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada parliament adopted a law banning symbols used by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in its war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the world community to ban the use of the “Z” symbol used by the occupation forces of the Russian Federation.
It was also reported that the use of the symbols Z and V have been prohibited by law in Latvia.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
