Kyrgyzstan: Law could see churches close

A Protestant leader has said that he fears churches may be forced to close following the implementation of concerning new laws which restrict freedom of religion in Kyrgyzstan.

The new Religion Law and an Amending Law came into effect last month. The legislation dictates that religious activity can only be conducted in public with state permission, and that religious groups must be registered to legally exist, with a minimum registration requirement of 500 adult members, up from the 200 required previously.

Registration with the state, as reported by Forum 18, must now be done every ten years, must include the history, beliefs and activities of the religious group in question, as well as its views on issues such as family, marriage and education.