Religious Freedom in Kazakhstan Remains Poor Despite Government Claims

Religious Freedom in Kazakhstan Remains Poor Despite Government Claims

Washington, DC - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on Kazakhstan:

Kazakhstan Country Update - In June 2025, a USCIRF delegation traveled to Kazakhstan to meet with civil society and government officials to discuss religious freedom conditions. USCIRF found that religious freedom conditions in Kazakhstan remain poor. The government maintains a series of laws that restrict religious freedom, including the religion and extremism laws. This legislative framework permits local authorities to arbitrarily target religious minority communities, particularly non-Islamic groups. To distract from such religious freedom violations, the Kazakh government heavily invests in interfaith cooperation efforts. This country update provides an overview of the legal framework regulating religion in Kazakhstan, an update on violations impacting independent Muslims and minority religious groups, and an analysis of the government's interreligious dialogue efforts.

In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended Kazakhstan for inclusion on the U.S. Department of State's Special Watch List for engaging in systematic and ongoing violations of religious freedom.