LAW AND ORDER: AMANZHOLOV UNIVERSITY HOSTED THE FORUM “STUDENTS FOR LAW” DEDICATED TO YOUTH SAFETY

Today, at Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, a large-scale event was held in cooperation with the East Kazakhstan Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the Ust-Kamenogorsk City Prosecutor’s Office, the city police department, and the Ust-Kamenogorsk city akimat. The event, the forum “Students for Law,” was aimed at enhancing the legal awareness of young people. It marked an important step in improving youth legal literacy in the region, fostering their active civic engagement in safety issues, and preventing social threats that have become increasingly relevant in recent times.

The forum was attended by heads of state bodies responsible for law, safety, and public order in the region: Zhandos Konýrov, Head of the Department for the Protection of Public Interests; Adilet Serikov, Acting Prosecutor of Ust-Kamenogorsk; Maksat Shakirov, Deputy Akim of Ust-Kamenogorsk; Aidyn Botakhanov, Head of the City Police Department; Mukhtar Tolegen, Chairman of the Board and Rector of EKU; and Aksana Kalenova, Regional Commissioner for Children’s Rights of East Kazakhstan. They engaged in direct dialogue with students, providing clear and understandable answers to their questions. Each speaker, drawing on personal experience, emphasized the importance of cultivating a culture of safety, personal responsibility among youth, and adherence to the law.

The forum addressed critical issues of urban safety. The main focus was to inform young people about the threats they face in everyday life and online, as well as to demonstrate ways to prevent such risks using concrete examples. In today’s information age, fake news and manipulations, destructive social media movements, complex fraud schemes, and youth involvement in criminal activities have become serious societal challenges. The forum discussed threats such as online fraud, “dropper” schemes, secret narcotics exchanges, gambling, online gaming addiction, bullying, and cyberbullying.

Speakers explained the mechanisms of modern criminal schemes and detailed their legal consequences. Participants were particularly interested in topics such as fraud via Telegram bots, criminal liability for dropper operations starting with seemingly harmless offers like “temporarily use a card,” new methods of drug distribution, and the serious consequences of working as a narcotics courier. The psychological effects of online gaming and betting addiction, its social consequences, and preventive measures were also discussed in detail.

The meeting was held in an interactive format. Students freely asked questions and received detailed information about law enforcement activities, crime rates in the city, and hidden internet fraud schemes. Participants could also anonymously submit suggestions for improving city safety. This initiative allowed the organizers to gauge youth opinions, identify their real needs, and observe their engagement in public safety issues.

As a result of the forum, with youth initiative and state support, a new student organization was created — “Law. Order. Future.” Its goal is to strengthen students’ legal culture, systematically conduct educational activities on safety, and regularly organize events to prevent youth offenses. The new organization will serve as an important platform uniting students around the idea of public safety.

Overall, the forum “Students for Law” was conducted at a high level, ensuring meaningful dialogue between students and government bodies. Participants emphasized that youth safety is a shared responsibility of both law enforcement and society as a whole. State agencies demonstrated openness, listened to young people’s opinions, and established effective communication.

Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University fully supported the forum and youth initiatives and intends to continue actively promoting the development of a safe, conscious, and responsible young generation in the region.