A new Freedom of Worship bill is offered to the Kyrgyz Parliament

The new bill “About freedom of worship and religious organization in KR” was brought before the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) informed director of state agency on Religious Affairs Kanybek Osmonaliev in press conference in Bishkek on July 7.

According to info agency “AKI press” K. Osmonaliev noted that the law in force adopted in October 1991 appeared to be liberal for many religious organizations. On the basis of this the state agency worked out a new Bill which in the director's opinion “is more rigid than the old law”.

K. Osmonaliev said that the new bill “About freedom of worship and religious organization in Kyrgyz Repubic” toughens the rules of registration to cut off occurrence of sectarian groups bringing “material and spiritual harm to the population”.

“According to the bill in order to register it is necessary for the group to consist of less than 200 members” – he said.

Also K. Osmonaliev stopped on the problem of foreign missionaries' activity in the territory of Kyrgyzstan . “Missionary activity must be adjusted to republic normative” – he stated.

At the same time the head of the State agency on Religious Affairs brought the attention of those present on problems of religious education of the republic. “ Kyrgyzstan has not perfected the system of creating and licensing Islamic institutions, attestation and giving proper documents – he said. Issues on religious education remained out off the KR Law “About education”.

“AKI press” notes the bill of KR Law “About freedom of worship and religious organizations in Kyrgyz Republic ” was prepared for solving purposes of Security Council of KR from September 7, 2007 on “Religious situations in KR” matters, government decree from February 13, 2008 No. 46 “About course of executing Plan of bill works of KR government in 2008” taking into account the new edition of KR Constitution.