Trends in the development of the religious situation in the region: In the III quarter of 2020, the religious situation in the region remains stable and predictable. This is facilitated by the work carried out by local Executive bodies on the formation of religious tolerance. 46 mosques are being built taking into account suggestions from residents of the region.
In accordance with the decree of the chief state sanitary doctor №27 on the quarantine regime and the gradual simplification of quarantine measures, religious associations have resumed their work and religious buildings have been opened since August 31. No cases of violation of the quarantine regime by religious associations have been registered.
Information about houses of worship (buildings) and other premises of religious associations and their branches. The total number of registered religious associations and branches was 640 (2 mosques were added in the third quarter). Of them are Islamic mosques - 470 (during the reporting period, 2 mosques have undergone state registration "Aktubek-Juma" and Kizilkian-namaz" and included in the General list), Orthodox-52, Roman Catholic and 11 Protestant-95, Jehovah's Witnesses-10, Bahi-1, Krishna consciousness-1. In total, 576 imams carry out religious activities in the region. Among them: 284 chief imams, 163 imams, 96 Naib imams, 22 teachers, 11 muezzins. Of these, by education: imams with higher education 161, graduated from madrasahs 108, completed courses 226 and with secondary education 81.
There are 311 clergymen serving in Christian and non-traditional religious movements. Among them: Orthodox 75, Roman Catholic 29, Protestant 204, Baha'i 1, Krishna consciousness 1. In Christianity and other religious associations, 58 are serving with higher education, 42 with secondary education, and 211 religious Ministers have completed courses.
State of missionary work. There are 31 missionaries registered in the region who have a special certificate for conducting missionary activities (during the reporting period, the documents of 4 missionaries were reviewed and legally included in the list). Republic of Korea-7, Poland–8, Republic of Italy-1, Republic of Kazakhstan-3, Kingdom of Spain-6, Republic of Turkey-1, Lithuania-1, Republic of Colombia-2, Republic of Mozambique-1, Republic of Kenya-1.
Places for distributing religious literature and religious paraphernalia. In accordance with the decree of the akim of Almaty region № 337 from September 19, 2014 "On approval of the special stationary premises for the dissemination of religious literature and other informational materials of religious content, religious objects and coordination of location space to conduct religious ceremonies outside of religious buildings (structures)", approved 20 special places for the dissemination of religious literature, there are 4 stationary premises for the sale of religious products (Alakol, eskeldy, Karasai, Panfilov district) sells religious books.
Conducting religious rituals outside of places of worship (buildings). In accordance with decree №389 of December 10, 2012, 8 namazkhana were registered in the region. The average number of visitors per day is 20-25 people.
Publication of articles in the media. Regional and district mass media published 277 articles in the III quarter (182 in the first quarter, 139 in the second quarter) on topical issues aimed at explaining state policy in the sphere of religion, promoting traditional values, preventing religious extremism and forming immunity against radical ideas.
Informational and explanatory work. There are 21 information and explanatory groups in the region: 1 regional, 3 city, 17 district. The total number of members of awareness groups is 350 people.
The composition of the advocacy groups of the region attracted: 102 civil servants, 3 deputies of maslikhats and head of the Nur Otan party, 40 representatives of public associations, 4 members of the Assembly of people of Kazakhstan and ethnocultural associations, 20 of religious scholars, the Islamic scholars, theologians (universities of Kazakhstan), 73 SAMK imams and other religious associations, 25 law enforcement officers, 2 representatives of culture, 24 members of the media, 39 professors, Directors and teachers of schools, heads and staff, 4 employees of the DRA and CSI , 14 representatives of the veterans' councils.
In the third quarter of 2020, according to the plan, 443 events of various formats were held in the region (273 online meetings, 11 meetings, 135 actions, 5 online interviews, 5 online receptions, 2 online training courses, 8 online trainings, 4 online seminars) with the coverage of 57,186 people. All activities were carried out in compliance with quarantine requirements. The main target audience covered by the activities of IRG members: young people (students of secondary schools, University students, marginal youth), civil servants, military personnel, employees of industrial and commercial enterprises, clergy, convicts.
31,966 materials (brochures, booklets, banners, flyers, programs, etc.) were published in order to promote traditional values among the population and create immunity against destructive and radical religious movements. A total of 8,200 information materials were published in the Department's printing office.
About administrative offenses in the sphere of religious activity. In the 3rd quarter of this year, no violations were registered.
Explanatory work carried out with citizens of Kazakhstan studying in foreign theological educational institutions. Today, the number of students studying in foreign theological institutions is 33. Of these, 24 are studying in recognized educational institutions, 9 are studying in unrecognized educational institutions. Specialists-theologians of the Department together with employees of the national library of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the region held 11 meetings with parents of students.
Working with citizens returned as part of operation Zhusan»: during the reporting period, “online rehabilitation” was carried out with women returned as part of the “Zhusan” operation. In the third quarter, 38 individual lessons were held with citizens on the following topics: «Әбу Мансур әл-матуридидің өмірі және методологиясы», «Имам матуриди – ақида саласында имам Әбу Ханифаның ізбасары», «Жаратушыны тануда ақылдың орны», «Арапа күнінің ерекшеліктері», «Көрші ақысы», «Ата-ананы құрметтеу, туыстық қатынасты үзбеу» and etc. In August, an offline meeting was held with 4 women (A. Amanova, A. Turdumuratova, Zh. Abubakirkyzy, G. Musayev) with the aim of adapting to a secular society on the following topics:«Діни сенімінің зардаптары мен алдын алу жолдары», «Алла үшін күресу, оның ішінде ақида мәселесі». The meeting was chaired by the Islamic scholar Aisha Kenesbai and Sutemgen Erganat.
Helpline. The hotline continues its activity to provide psychological and legal assistance to the population in the field of religion. The activities and operating hours of the helpline are brought to the attention of the population through the mass media, that is, through regional, district newspapers, the telemarket of the Zhetisu TV channel in the ticker.
Also, information about "hotline 114" was published in the media and social networks.
During the third quarter of this year, 8 calls were received, from the side of specialists were given exhaustive answers by specialists. As the analysis shows, most of the questions relate to religious terms and religious actions. Calls requiring departure with explanatory work were not received.
Works carried out through social networks and Internet resources.In July, August and September of this year, 11,217 materials, 344 videos, 679 demotivators, 6016 information materials, etc. were published on the social networks Facebook, Vkontakte, Instagram of the Department of Religious Affairs of the Almaty Region. The total number of views is 88,836.During the monitoring of the Internet space, 289 materials of a destructive nature were identified, of which 263 were blocked. At the initiative of the Department of Religious Affairs of the Almaty region and its subordinate centers, about 1,500 materials were sent to the "Дін мәселелері" group in the Whatsapp messenger, which included about 275 employees, including heads of departments, deputy akims of districts and cities, employees of the city branch Nur Otan party, leaders of traditional religious associations, law enforcement officers.
In addition, the Whatsapp messenger daily replenishes thematic materials and objective information of groups in the field of religion "Imamdar Qauymdastyky", "Religious scholars", "Leaders of religious associations", "Zhetysu zhastary", created at the initiative of the center for the study of problems in the field of religions.
These groups include representatives of youth organizations, theologians and religious scholars, representatives of the IRG groups of the region and districts, law enforcement agencies and public figures. All groups have about 2,500 subscribers.
In order to increase religious literacy among the jamaats of the Taldykorgan mosque, two groups (male and female) "Rukhani Azyk" with 350 members have been opened in the "Whats app" messenger, which also constantly publishes information materials covering traditional Islam from the perspective of the cultural traditions of the Kazakh people.
The representative office of the spiritual administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan in the Taldykorgan region broadcasts online Friday sermons and other lessons on its personal website "taglym.kz" Central mosque "Iman".
Functioning on the website "Taqlym.kz" given the content of the sermons Kazakhstan DRT leaders in the Internet space, the regional office of SAMK for operational information counter located contralaterally, denying the destructive ideas based on doctrines of traditional Islam, on Fridays in the 20-minute radio program "Imani gyl" prominent theologians of the reported conduct radical alternative audio content counter-propaganda-explanatory work (placement of audio, video recording sermons) in the Internet space.
Analytical work in the Internet space. As a result of monitoring the religious situation in the region together with the service "Kazdream Technologies", there is an increase in the number of citizens exposed to the ideology of radical and destructive religious movements through Internet resources and social networks. 1,920 Internet users interested in the ideology of non-traditional religious movements were identified (in the second quarter-20,935).
As a result of information and explanatory work carried out jointly with the akimats of districts, cities, and employees of competent authorities, the indicator decreased by 1,199 subscribers: the number of registered users on Salafi resources-17,883 (decreased by 1,477 subscribers), the number of registered users on Pentecostal resources – 502 (decreased by 35 subscribers), the number of registered users on sururite resources -771 (decreased by 60 subscribers), hadadism-2,220 (decreased by 617 subscribers).
A list of 800 users interested in destructive religious trends identified during monitoring, are sent to the district akimats of the region, national security Committee of Kazakhstan, the regional Police Department, the Department for combating extremism and the rehabilitation centre for victims of religious extremism and destructive currents. In addition, the research center conducts a set of measures to prevent the spread of destructive content in the information space.