State aimed at baning beard by law, though there are majority Muslims

In efforts to give the police more power in fighting <x0) destructive religious movements”, Kazakhstan has focused on beards and short pants.

conservative Muslims who do not comply with the form of Islam officially adopted in this country usually show their attitude by carrying long beards and pants to the ankle.

In response, authorities often go to broad judgment for these positions by calling them supporters, of what they consider”alafism” dangerous in the Sunni Islam.

A bill, which has been passed on to the first reading in parliament on 31 January, aims to support police forces in preventing <x0 crimes related to religious activities”, changing the law on religion.

This project requires stricter measures, under which citizens can study in religious schools abroad, set preconditions for children if they are part of mosques and churches' services, and bans “public sign presentation” of “harmful religious movements”.

The bill, based on the definition given by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, describes as the exacerbating “-> movement that promotes religious views and speeches that threaten people's rights and freedoms.

Such moves, according to the draft, are aimed at weakening and destroying moral foundations and spiritual and cultural values.

Minister for Religious Affairs Nurlan Yermekbaev has said authorities will compile a list of groups that consider the <x0 harmful”.

“Whyudo-Salafists” may be among them, he has told reporters in Astana during the week.

Some types of beards may be forbidden by legal changes.

Yermekbaev has said that for the length of the beards there will be reports by authorities.

However, the minister has stressed that not everyone with a long beard seems to be afraid and to stop getting on the street.

Officials will assess whether a person has links to extremist movements, the minister has said.

The most important thing is what the person with the forbidden chin has said.

Yermekbaev has added that no step will be taken against those who have only one prohibited attribute, but they are not religious”. Religious figures, such as imams and priests, will not be within the list of such ones.

If that bill is adopted and converted into law, Kazakhstan would also ban clothing covering a man's face.

Lawbreakers can face sentences of up to $370.

Fear of Radicalization

In April, Kazakhstan's president, Nursultan Nazarbaev, has called for a legal ban on Islamic clothing covering women in the cast and pants to men's ankle.

Nazarbaev had expressed concern that a growing number of young people are wearing this way and has blamed this trend on “the youth's <x1nd).

This project also gives police more power to monitor persons suspected of religious extremism and to compile a list of these suspects.

With some minor exceptions, only the diplomats in Kazakhstan's religious schools may be allowed to study in religious schools abroad.

This bill also envisions that children under 16 may be allowed to attend church or mosque services only if they are followed by a parent or a relative, and only if both parents agree.

Kazakhstan has already stopped at schools carrying Islamic cover or hyjabin, despite some parents ' criticism.

Officials in the former Soviet country, the rich source country of Central Asia warn of a danger from extremist religious groups.

The government blames “radical religious movements” for the bloody attacks on Attobe in June 2016.

Kazakh authorities estimate that hundreds of people of Kazakh nationality have joined the fighting of the militant group, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.