Astana (AsiaNews/Forum18) – Laws introduced in Kazakhstan in 2005 severely limit freedom of worship. However, some months on, religious figures and international observers agree that the de facto situation in the country has not deteriorated.

In February 2005, two laws were approved to "combat extremism". Scholars say the new laws give the State sweeping powers to control the life of religious organizations. To "combat extremism", the law provides for a ban on religious organizations which "infringe the law of the Republic". But, as Prof. Roman Podoprigora, an Almaty-based law professor, pointed out, the term extremism is defined very unclearly. "So, if one wishes, practically any non-traditional religious organization could be listed as extremist". The president of the Almaty Helsinki Committee Ninel Fokina said at the time that "the new law can be used by the state to combat religious organizations it does not like."

Like judgment was passed on amendments introduced in July to safeguard "national security", another concept not clearly defined. The law says all religious organizations or single missionaries should be registered to be allowed to work, with a ban on any unauthorized missionary activity, even if only at individual level. Registration is valid for a year; then a new request must be made: proof that one belongs to a recognized association must be submitted, together with the programme and all material – religious and otherwise – which will be used. One cannot use material which has not been censored thus.

The new article 374 of the Code relating to Administrative Offences stipulates grave penalties for religious activities of unauthorized groups, with a fine which is 50 times more than the monthly minimum wage (now equal to 7 US dollars) for those who take part, 100 times more for those who organize such activities and 200 times more for those who finance them. The same penalties apply to those who undertake banned religious activities. Experts say the provision is so wide it could include any religious activity, even a prayer meeting or money collection for charity. Art. 375 punishes with a fine equal to 15 monthly salaries those who undertake unauthorised missionary activities, with expulsion for foreign missionaries.

Severe pecuniary sanctions face those religious organizations known to "violate... any state law". Such organizations will also be banned from exercising any activity for six months. Disobeying this proscription leads to a definitive ban and a fine of "only" 40 salaries worth for leaders.

However, religious leaders say that in these months, there has not been any increased repression of freedom of worship. "Action against Christians, especially members of unregistered religious communities, happened before the new laws," said Aleksandr Klyushev, head of the Association of Religious Organisations in Kazakhstan (AROK), who believes such actions are "the personal initiative of provincial officials" rather than the will of the central government. He continued: "Astana has a strong interest in ensuring that the international community thinks of Kazakhstan as a law-governed state. So I hope that religious believers with no political ambitions won't encounter any real problems."

There do not appear to be specific actions targeting the Catholic community, which makes up less than 2% of the population. However, the visas of several Protestant missionaries have been withdrawn, and Murat Telibekov, head of the Union of Muslims of Kazakhstan, denounced frequent state intervention to control mosque activities and to remove the more integralist imams.

Out of a population of 14.29 million inhabitants, 42.7% of Kazaks are Muslim. Christians account for 16%, and Catholics number around 200,000 in Kazakhstan. In general Kazak Islam moderate but there are fundamentalist sprinter groups coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.(PB)