Door-to-door religious preaching banned in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has signed a law restricting the practice of preaching. The document prohibits door-to-door preaching. Japarov stressed that he is not against religion, but stressed that preaching to Islam should be done in a way that does not cause inconvenience to anyone, such as at weddings, funerals, markets and other crowded places.

According to the law "On Religion" signed by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on Tuesday, a number of restrictions will be imposed on missionary activities, Vb.kg reports. Now, preachers are prohibited from going door-to-door and inviting people to religion.

Japarov noted on his social media page that secular citizens of Kyrgyzstan support the law, while religious citizens oppose its adoption.

"People want answers to questions like who these traveling preachers are, do they have a certificate from the mufti's office, qaziyat, or khatibiyat, what organization or movement they are promoting, and whether this movement contradicts our religion," the president wrote.

According to Japarov, the issue of door-to-door outreach has not previously been regulated by law: who allows such activities, who can participate and where to get training for this, what leaflets or books can be distributed, and who checks these materials?

Japarov noted that preachers often leave home for long periods of time to preach Islam, neglecting to take care of their families and children.

"There are cases where our citizens leave their families and children unattended and without means of support, leaving them for 3 days, 40 days, or even 4 months. What is this? Isn't it possible to first provide your family with at least a minimum amount of food, and then go and call people to religion?" - asked the Kyrgyz leader.

Japarov stressed that he is not against religion, that preaching Islam does not harm anyone, and that it should be held in places that do not cause inconvenience to anyone, such as weddings, funerals, markets, and other crowded places.

"We are waiting for proposals from the Mufti's Office and the Council of Ulema. Develop the rules for your circles down to the smallest detail and submit them. The state will help ensure their strict implementation and regulation. The sooner you submit your proposals, the better," the president said.