Astana, Kazakhstan — As part of its controls on free speech in the area of religion, Kazakhstan’s government agency controlling religion — the Agency of Religious Affairs (ARA) — is stepping up pressure on religious communities to instruct their members not to speak about their faith with others in public. The ARA has already instructed people to report those who do to the police.
With compulsory prior censorship of all printed and imported religious literature, controls on where religious literature can be sold or distributed, restrictions on who can lead or address worship services and a ban on discussing faith with other people in public — and punishments for those who ignore these bans — human rights defenders and religious communities have concluded that religious free speech does not exist in Kazakhstan.
The ARA has refused to allow some religious publications to be imported and distributed. Confiscation of religious books from individuals in the country and arriving in the country appears to be increasing, as are fines for those who discuss their faith with others. Two courts have ordered religious literature confiscated from individuals sharing their faith — including Bibles — to be destroyed. However, after widespread outrage both decisions were overturned, though fines on the individuals remained.
Discussing or sharing faith with others is punishable under law, with a maximum penalty for Kazakh citizens under this Article $1,150. This is currently equivalent to nearly two months’ average wages as measured nationwide by the state.
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