Nova Scotia Scott

Christians and followers of other religions in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan (see map below) could be forced to close places of worship under new laws that severely restrict religious activities. The laws have not yet been given final approval, but this seems likely in both countries.

Religious leaders and human rights groups are criticising Kazakhstan’s restrictive proposed law, but officials with the Justice Ministry accuse them of “openly lying”.

Ministry officials claimed that “benevolent conditions” have been created for religious communities. The Law has been condemned by many religious leaders, such as Protestant leaders and Murat Telibekov of the Union of Muslims. Fr Vsevolod Chaplin of the Moscow Patriarchate pointed out to Forum 18 News Service that, under the proposed Law, “if a young person is walking past and goes into a mosque during prayers, the imam could be arrested.” Fr Chaplin pointed out that he was himself a believer at the age of 13, against the wishes of his parents, which would be forbidden by the Law.

Pope Benedict XVI has taken notice of Kazakhstan’s actions and cautioned the Kazakh Ambassador to the Holy See that the state must respect the proper boundaries between the political and religious and avoid “interfering” with individual consciences.

Kazakhstan’s Parliament has approved the law and it now awaits the president’s signature.

In Tajikistan, churches and mosques will have to be shut down if, as expected, Parliament passes legislation requiring re-registration with the government.

The draft text reportedly enforces state controls over the activity of religious organisations, limits religious education and imposes government censorship over religious literature. “If passed, all of Tajikistan’s religious organisations will be obliged to re-register either as ‘religious organisations’ or as ‘religious communities’, the latter having no legal status,” CSW said. “Many may lose their legal status and some could face closure due to harsher criteria for registration,” the group added.

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe has also expressed concerns, saying the law’s provisions are too vague and leave too much discretion in the hands of local authorities.

In an unusual move, Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmon personally sent the draft legislation to Parliament.

Tags: Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Persecution, Tajikistan