Nothing to cover: Why burqas and niqabs have been banned in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov signed a law that prohibits women from wearing burqas, niqabs and other Muslim clothing that conceals the face. In addition, the activities of various self-appointed preachers are outlawed, as well as coercion to religious rituals. Details - in the material "Izvestia".
Daavat, but not happy
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov signed the law on religion, which introduces significant changes in the religious sphere. First, the document prohibits women in public places from wearing niqabs, burqas and other Muslim clothing that conceals the face. The fine for violating the regulation is 20,000 soms (22,000 rubles).
Secondly, citizens are guaranteed freedom of conscience, i.e. all forms of coercion and pressure are prohibited. In particular, religious events are outlawed in places where it is difficult to refuse them, including prisons, colonies, pre-trial detention centers, army units, nursing homes, shelters for the disabled and other similar institutions. Here the fine will be 20-65 thousand soms (Br22-75 thousand).
Finally, a special practice - daavat, when self-appointed preachers or ordinary believers go to homes, schools, universities and state institutions to propagandize their religious views, as well as distributing literature and special audio and video materials - is prohibited. It is believed that it is during daawat that radical Islamists recruit their supporters.
In addition, several measures aimed at separating religion from the state have been prescribed. Thus, the law prohibits the creation of political parties on Islamic basis, the use of issues of faith in election campaigning and for obtaining funding. Special amendments also emphasize that public service, including parliamentary work, cannot be combined with religious activities.
Wedding for one night
During the discussion of the bill, a variety of opinions were expressed, with some MPs insisting on softening the norms. For example, MP Dastan Bekeshev demanded that fines for the niqab and burqa be reduced. Many women who wear these garments live in poverty and cannot afford such payments, he said. His colleague Baktiyar Kalpayev worried that state institutions might close prayer rooms (namazkans).
Other parliamentarians, on the contrary, demanded to tighten the document. For example, MP Aisuluu Mamashova called for regulating the issue of religious marriages. According to her, mentors in madrasas often promote early marriage among girls, and men are indoctrinated with ideas about polygamy. "There is another problem - legal prostitution, nike (religious marriage - Ed.) for one night," she said.
In the end, the document remained almost unchanged from the original version. After signing the law, President Zhaparov issued a lengthy statement emphasizing that various extremists continue to threaten the country's security. "When these groups strengthen, conflicts start, blood is shed. We are a small nation, we need to live within the framework of our traditional religion," he said.
Separately, Zhaparov spoke about the practice of Daavat. Some believers leave to preach, leaving their families destitute, he said. At the same time, many citizens have questions about whether these wanderers can be trusted, what kind of education they have, and whether they are spreading reliable materials. "We will never be harmed by proper daawat. As long as you can conduct it in mosques, weddings, funerals and markets," he said.
From Ferghana to Syria
Kyrgyzstan has suffered a lot from radical Islamists over the years of its independence. In 1999, several hundred militants from Afghanistan passed through Tajikistan and invaded the republic's southern regions. For three months there was fighting, only after a large-scale military operation the Fergana Valley was cleared of terrorists, 44 people died in those events.
Law enforcement officers at the site of the explosion of a Mitsubishi Delica car that rammed into the gates of the Chinese diplomatic mission in Bishkek
After that, a series of terrorist attacks took place in the country, with explosions rattling the largest market "Dordoi", a bank branch, and the Bishkek Palace of Sports. In 2016, a suicide bomber in a car rammed the gates of the Chinese Embassy and detonated explosives, killing himself on the spot and injuring several people. At the same time, security forces also reported dozens of prevented incidents.
Then up to a thousand Kyrgyz citizens went "on jihad" to Syria and Iraq, where a full-scale war broke out. Many of these people died, and their wives and children were drawn back home after the defeat of ISIS (a terrorist organization banned in Russia). Bishkek then launched a state program for repatriation and return to peaceful life, and more than 500 people were received in the country within its framework.
There have been enough episodes in recent years. In December 2023, security forces detained 16-year-olds who were planning to blow up a Christmas tree and attack an Orthodox church in the city of Jalal-Abad. Last July, GKNB officers identified members of a group that "fanatically practiced religious ideology" and intended to seize power, and weapons and explosives were found during searches.
Battle for the headscarf
There are many worrying symptoms in the country as a whole. There are 3,400 mosques in the republic, and a thousand fewer general education schools. Many houses of worship were built with money from Arab and Turkish foundations, and researchers suspect they support unconventional forms of Islam. In recent years, the streets of Bishkek and other cities have seen an increasing number of women in hijabs and men in Islamic shawls and long shirts.
Authorities note that 21 organizations have been declared extremist in the country, and some of them have not curtailed their activities since the ban. "The number of followers of these currents is growing every day. This is due to the fact that the unbanned currents are more and more actively distributing various books and brochures," President Zhaparov said. It is understandable that under such conditions the authorities are seeking to streamline the religious sphere.
Similar processes are taking place in neighbouring countries. In Tajikistan last June, President Emomali Rakhmon signed a law that bans women from wearing the niqab, burqa and even the more familiar hijab, and a fine of 8,000 somoni (about 73,000 rubles) is imposed for violations. Tajik men are forced to shave off "Wahhabi beards", teenagers under 18 are banned from mosques, and young men under 35 are not allowed to go to Mecca for Hajj.
In Uzbekistan, in November 2023, women were banned from hiding their faces in public places, i.e. wearing the niqabs and burqas. In addition, propaganda of polygamy and gender inequality is outlawed. In Kazakhstan in September 2023 announced a ban on wearing the hijab in schools, Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva also said that the issue of niqabs and burqas was being studied.
"The problem cannot be solved quickly."
Alexander Kobrinsky, a political scientist and director of the Agency for Ethno-National Strategies, says that he himself witnessed Islamization in Kyrgyzstan.
- I worked in this country for a long time, and I remember well how on Fridays preachers regularly knocked on my apartment and politely but insistently called me for Friday namaz. In general, I can say that in general, historically Kyrgyz people have a calm attitude towards religion, in this respect they are similar to us. But in recent years, the activity of various Arab and Turkish centers has increased dramatically, resulting in cultural substitution and the imposition of alien fanatical attitudes towards religion," he said.
According to the interlocutor, the current law was long overdue.
- I am far from enthusiastic about it, we will have to look at the law enforcement practice. I admit that the authorities will encounter sabotage, the question is how they will respond to it. It's also important to carefully monitor the work of preachers, filter out destructive elements, develop education, raise the level of culture, popularize science and a secular way of life," he stressed.
The radicals have deep roots in Kyrgyzstan, Orientalist Azhdar Kurtov said. Many foreign preachers have been active in the republic since the 1990s, he said.
- In addition, there are objective factors contributing to Islamization. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was an ideological and ideological deficit, the educational level of the population declined, and there was a demand for simple answers and solutions; poverty and official corruption provide additional reasons for religious propaganda. At the same time, I believe that the current measures are steps in the right direction. It will not solve the problem quickly, but the situation will improve," he assures.
