The law, which bears a strong resemblance to similar measures in countries such as Russia, Georgia and Hungary, was unanimously approved by the members of the lower house. The bill will now go to the Senate, where it is also expected to receive broad support.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, whose signature is required for the law to take effect, has repeatedly stressed in recent months the importance of protecting what he calls “traditional values.”

Although Kazakhstan legalised homosexuality in the 1990s, attitudes towards LGBT people in the predominantly Muslim but officially secular country remain highly conservative.

Minister of Education Gani Beisembayev defended the law by arguing that “children and teenagers are exposed daily to information that can negatively influence their ideas about family, morality, and the future.”

Human rights organisations warn that the law constitutes a serious breach of Kazakhstan’s international obligations. The Belgium-based International Partnership for Human Rights said the measure “blatantly violates Kazakhstan’s international human rights commitments.”