ICC Note:  Kazakhstan is seeking to amend its Religion Law which requires religious groups to register in order to operate legally. The Majilis, the lower house in Kazakhstan’s parliament, approved amendments and sent them to the upper house but the text of the law has not been made public. No one is sure whether the amendment will make the Religion Law more or less strict, however, some believe the laws will reinforce government registration of religious institutions. Kazakhstan has proven to be one of the more open states in Central Asia so it is hoped that the amending law will move towards greater religious freedom.

06/05/2018 Kazakhstan (Forum 18) –  Wide-ranging amendments to Kazakhstan’s Religion Law and a range of others laws that seem set to increase still further the already tight restrictions on the exercise of freedom of religion or belief were approved in the lower house of parliament, the Majilis, on 23 May. They are about to be sent to the upper house, the Senate, but officials there told Forum 18 they had not arrived by 30 May.

The text of the Amending Law has not been made public to anyone and parliamentary officials would not send it to Forum 18.

The Majilis has refused to state how many deputies had voted in favour of the Amending Law and how many against (if any). “It is a tradition that the Chair of the Majilis does not give voting figures and just announces the decision as to whether a law is adopted or not,” the Majilis Press Service told Forum 18 (see below).

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For interviews with Amy Penn, ICC’s Central Asia Correspondent, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected].