The ban on wearing niqab, chadra, paranja and balaclava in Kazakhstan is caused by security considerations, said Minister of Religious and Civil Society Affairs Republic of Kazakhstan Nurlan Yermekbayev.
It was announced during a briefing for representatives of the diplomatic corps to discuss the draft law 'On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the issues of Religious Activities and Religious Associations'.
'The project outlaws any clothing that obscures people's faces in public places. During the preparing the norms, the opinion of citizens, representatives of NGOs, government agencies, experts were studied. In fact, this does not directly concern religious issues; it is really a matter of public security. However, wearing clothes such as niqab, chadra, paranja and balaclava are negatively affect to identify the individual details for law enforcement agencies. Therefore, this rule is introduced precisely in the law on the prevention of violations and to control public safety in the society', explained the Minister for Religious Affairs and Civil Society of Kazakhstan.
Nurlan Yermekbayev mentioned that such norms already operate in the legislation of other countries. 'For example, in Belgium, France and many other states, they help protect the peace of citizens, and our law suggests introducing this experience in Kazakhstan," Yermekbayev said.
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