Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you,
and when they shall separate you from their company,
and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil,
for the Son of man's sake.
Luke 6:22
"Kazakhstan looks set to become the first of the ex Soviet Central Asia nations to follow Russia’s lead in bringing in harsher restrictions on religious activity.
Laws concerning legal restrictions in Kazakhstan already ban and punish certain religious activities, including free speech. However, the Minister who oversees religion has announced that further restrictions will be imposed in amendments to the Religion Law and other Laws, and these are likely to be presented to Parliament in September.
 |
| President Nursultan Nazarbayev |
Currently, anyone discussing religious issues with other people is required to have permission from a registered religious organization and to have a permit from the state Regional Religious Affairs Department. Any literature they use when they speak to others also needs to be censored in advance by the Religious Affairs Department.
Anyone who speaks on religion without such permission faces punishment, usually a hefty fine.
The amendments to the Religion Law and a series of other laws that are being prepared will further restrict freedom of religion or belief.
The minister of Culture and Sport who oversees the government’s Religious Affairs Committee, said that, among other things, “missionary activity” will be subjected to controls. “Activity to spread a faith as a missionary without registration will not be allowed,” he declared." InterServe
