Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, is bidding for the 2022 Winter Games. Photo:

Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, is bidding for the 2022 Winter Games. Photo:

A proposed law in Kazakhstan that would criminalize dissemination to minors of information supporting same-sex relationships has been struck down as unconstitutional.

The measure had been passed by both houses of parliament, but was rejected by the country’s Constitutional Council, Kazakh news agencies said Wednesday.

It would have banned pornography and information seen as promoting violence and “non-traditional relationships.”

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A similar law in Russia has sparked wide criticism, especially before last year’s Olympics in the Russian city of Sochi.

Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, is bidding for the 2022 Winter Games. This month, a group of prominent sports figures, led by Martina Navratilova, wrote to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach calling for Kazakhstan to be denied the Olympics because of the measure.

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