Astana hosted a round table discussion of the draft law in the field of religion

Today, on November 22, the Radisson hotel hosted a round table on the topic:  «Improvement of legislation and law enforcement practice in the sphere of religious activity».

The event was organized by the office of programs of the Organization for security and co-operation in Europe in Astana, the Ministry of religious affairs and civil society of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Association of religious associations of Kazakhstan and the Office of the United Nations high commissioner for human rights for Central Asia.

The round table was attended by Deputy Minister for religious Affairs and civil society of Kazakhstan Berik Aryn, the Coordinator of the national Control programmes of the UN high Commissioner for human rights for Central Asia Leyla Duysekova, head of the OSCE program Office in Astana, Ambassador Gyorgy Szabo, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee for religious Affairs of the Ministry of religious Affairs and civil society, Yerkin Ongarbayev, Chairman of the ULE «the Association of religious unions of Kazakhstan»   Alexander Klushev, representatives of the Embassies of the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Vatican city, heads of religious associations of Kazakhstan, scientific and expert community, as well as representatives of state bodies of Kazakhstan.

Vice-Minister of religious affairs and civil society of the Republic of Kazakhstan Berik Aryn made a welcoming speech.

In his speech, the Vice-Minister noted: «Today, Kazakhstan attaches great importance to ensuring the rights of citizens to freedom of conscience and creating favorable conditions for the work of religious associations.

The state is taking measures to preserve stability in the religious sphere, strengthen inter-confessional harmony and tolerance in society, as well as to firmly build the population's immunity to the ideology of religious extremism in any of its forms and manifestations.

The state provides the necessary conditions for the activities of officially registered religious associations and their branches representing 18 faiths».

1. Aryn familiarized the participants with the ongoing Ministry of the work in preparing the draft Law « On amendments and additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on religious activity and religious associations». They also stressed that the legislation on religious activities and religious associations establishes legal norms that, on the one hand, guarantee and protect the rights of citizens, and on the other – minimize the possibility of using religion for extremist and other destructive purposes.

In turn, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on religious Affairs E. Ongarbayev, speaking to the participants of the round table, said that in the framework of the preparation of the bill, proposals were received from religious associations, non-governmental organizations and experts. Currently, the proposals received have been worked out, and some are included in the draft law».

In addition, Erkin Ongarbayev spoke about the main provisions of the draft law and the changes that were taken into account during its development.