In a decisive legislative move highlighting Kazakhstan’s commitment to secular governance, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed into law a ban on clothing that conceals the face in public, including the Islamic niqab. The law was passed by parliament earlier this year and received presidential assent this week, marking a formal shift in the country’s public policy on religious attire.
The law outlines strict prohibitions on face-covering garments in public spaces, with a few exceptions, including for medical reasons, official duties, weather protection, and during sports or cultural activities. Face coverings worn for religious purposes, including the niqab, are not exempt.
Local authorities argue that such garments hinder the ability of law enforcement to identify individuals, posing a threat to public safety. The law is being framed as part of a broader effort to reinforce Kazakhstan’s secular identity and counter the influence of radical ideologies.
President Tokayev, who has been vocal about religious extremism in the past, earlier described the niqab as “an outdated form of clothing imposed on Kazakh women by radical groups.” In a March 2024 statement, he emphasised that such practices are foreign to Kazakhstan’s traditional values and social fabric.
“This principle must be strictly observed in all spheres, including education. School is, first and foremost, an educational institution where children come to gain knowledge. Religious beliefs, on the other hand, are a choice and a private matter for each citizen,” President Tokayev said in an earlier interview with The Times of Central Asia.
This legislation is not Kazakhstan’s first attempt to regulate religious dress. In 2017 and again in 2023, the government enforced bans on hijabs in educational institutions, affecting both students and teachers. The 2023 hijab ban led to protests by conservative groups, with some schoolgirls refusing to attend classes in opposition.
Kazakhstan now joins a growing list of Central Asian countries implementing such restrictions. Kyrgyzstan passed a similar law in January 2025, banning the niqab in public places and conducting enforcement raids soon after. Uzbekistan also enacted a face-covering ban in 2023.
While Islam is the predominant religion in Kazakhstan, the country maintains a constitutional commitment to secularism. The government insists on keeping religious influence separate from public institutions, unlike Islamic theocracies such as Iran or Saudi Arabia.
The law is expected to take effect nationwide within 30 days, with public awareness campaigns and law enforcement training to follow. The government has not announced specific penalties for violations yet, but sources indicate that fines and administrative action may be considered for repeat offenders.
The move reflects a growing trend across Central Asia to curb the spread of radical ideologies while promoting a unified, national identity rooted in moderate cultural values. Human rights groups, however, have raised concerns about the potential for such bans to infringe on personal freedoms and religious expression.
As the law takes effect, Kazakhstan positions itself at the centre of a regional debate over religious freedom, state security, and the boundaries of secularism in post-Soviet societies.
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