Kazakhstan Does Not Plan To Introduce Penalties For “Religious Propaganda”

Kazakhstan does not plan to introduce penalties for so-called religious propaganda, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Kanat Iskakov said while commenting on a proposal by MPs to restrict it, Orda.kz reports.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Mazhilis, Iskakov said there is no legal concept of “religious propaganda” in Kazakhstan. He said radical and extremist propaganda exists, but it is already banned.

And what does religious propaganda mean? We are a tolerant, multi-confessional society. Therefore, when we talk about religious propaganda, it is prohibited here only in terms of extremist and radical movements. In the case where a citizen said that Nauryz was not our holiday, he was brought to administrative responsibility. The other one,” he said, referring to the imam from the interview in which he spoke about giving his wife to his student” “was also brought to administrative responsibility — he was fined.

According to Iskakov, various religious appeals on social media, including calls for women to wear the hijab, already fall under current legislation. He said people are also punished for such actions in Kazakhstan.

This falls under a number of articles, such as the dissemination of false information and the incitement of social, religious and other discord. Therefore, if such actions contain elements of an offence, action will certainly be taken.Iskakov added. 

Original author: Ilya Astakhov

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