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Kazakhstan: restrictive amendments on religion go to president

Rushing to express concern over the final adoption in parliament today (26 November) of a restrictive Law that will amend the Religion Law and other Laws were Lutheran, Hare Krishna, Baptist and Ahmadi Muslim representatives, as well as human rights activists, reports Forum 18 News Service.

"We expect persecution in the future because of this very harsh Law," Baptist Pastor Yaroslav Senyushkevich told Forum 18 News Service, "not just on us but on others too. It will be like under Stalin."

More measured is Archbishop Tomasz Peta, who leads the Catholic diocese in Astana. "We hope that the president - who will have the last word on this - won't allow Kazakhstan after 17 years to return to the path of restrictions on religious freedom," he told Forum 18.

Ambassador Janez Lenarcic of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) expressed disappointment at the "hasty" adoption of the Law. He added that he hopes President Nursultan Nazarbaev "will use his constitutional power to allow for a more transparent and inclusive law-making process that would lead to the adoption of legislation fully reflecting OSCE commitments and other international standards".

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TAGS: Kazakhstan restrictive amendments Religion Law persecution

[11/28/2008]

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