Kazakhstan has withdrawn the operating licenses of almost 90 foreign television channels over "the failure to comply with a new law on registration."

The Ministry of Information and Communications said on August 8 that the registration certificates of 88 television channels, including Russia's NTV Plus 3D, Dozhd, Russia Today, Spas, Radost Moya, the Nautical Channel, MUSICBOX, RU.TV, Fashion TV, Dozhd, TNT-Comedy, etc. had been withdrawn.

According to the statement, the move came after the channels failed to register as legal entities or register their offices in Kazakhstan for six months after the new law was endorsed on January 9.

The statement said 219 foreign television channels broadcasting to Kazakhstan have complied with the law and their programs will stay accessible in the Central Asian nation.

