DIGITAL EVIDENCE AND HASH SUMS AS A TOOL TO COUNTER INFORMATION EXTREMISM: A COMPARATIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS

This article explores the role of digital evidence and hash functions as essential instruments in combating informational extremism. It discusses the existing gaps and ambiguities in the legal definition of digital evidence within Kazakhstan’s legislative framework, as well as the absence of standardized protocols for their documentation, authentication, and preservation. The study emphasizes the urgent need to legally codify hash functions as a means to guarantee the integrity of digital traces and to mandate the involvement of IT professionals in the processing of such evidence. Through a comparative legal review of international practices, the article illustrates the presence of robust digital forensic systems that uphold the admissibility and credibility of electronic evidence in judicial proceedings abroad. The research substantiates the necessity for amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and the Law “On Informatization” of the Republic of Kazakhstan, aiming to grant digital evidence formal legal status and ensure its harmonization with global norms. Ultimately, the article contends that implementing these reforms will significantly strengthen efforts to counter digital forms of extremism and help establish a resilient legal environment in the context of rapidly evolving cyberspace.

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