Religious Freedom and Human Rights in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Abstract Many post-Soviet governments are still unable to identify the attitude to religious freedom and religious activity. The human rights trend adjoins with a very suspicious attitude to the religious phenomena as a relic of the Soviet regime of the state–church relationships. Moreover, the professional communities and society as a whole were not appropriately prepared for the religious diversity or the new role of religion in public and private life. This article discusses why the government is very careful in the regulation of religious processes. The article also explains the reasons of inattention by Kazakhstani lawyers to human rights and religious issues and analyses the situation regarding religious freedom within frames of existing legislation in Kazakhstan.