freedom of religion

On April 10, 2024, several thousand people gathered in the central mosque of Almaty, the largest metropolitan city of the republic, to pray at one of the most important holidays of the Muslims, Oraza Ait. (more…)

The meaning of religion for residents of Kazakhstan is changing: there are more people with religious views. This is evidenced by the World Values Survey programme, which was used for two surveys in Kazakhstan – in 2011 and 2018. (more…)

Kazakhstan should live according to Sharia law, according to Nurtas Adambai, a prominent Kazakh actor and director. How does the republic assess this statement? (more…)

“My daughter wears a headscarf and she is not allowed to attend public school. I teach her at home, and she also attends the course of English at the training centre,” a mother based in West Kazakhstan region said wondering why her child cannot pursue secondary education. (more…)

The problem of Kazakhstan, as well as other ex-Soviet countries, is the assurance that religion a priori carries threat, in particular, to the political structure and cultural identity, experts say. Therefore, religion laws contain provisions that discriminate against religious people. (more…)

Schoolgirls wearing hijabs and headscarves have divided the society of Kazakhstan. Some call the ban on wearing religious head covering the oppression of girls. Others believe this ban is a normal practice in a secular state. Still others develop the model of a headscarf acceptable for schools. (more…)

Since 2011, religious associations in Kazakhstan have been forced to choose: either register or stop existing. Representatives of the authorities believe that registration will stop radical ideas from spreading. But human rights defenders see it as an excessive control by the state over law-abiding citizens. (more…)

The number of girls and women wearing hijabs on the streets of Uzbekistan’s cities and districts has noticeably increased. However, public schools in the country still forbid wearing them, allowing them to be replaced by skullcaps and light-colored scarves tied backwards. (more…)