logo
Kazakhstan bans face coverings in public, new law endorses 'national' clothing

Kazakhstan bans face coverings in public, new law endorses 'national' clothing

First Post01-07-2025
The law says clothing that 'interferes with facial recognition' will be banned in public, with exemptions for medical purposes, in adverse weather conditions and at sporting and cultural events read more
Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a law to ban people from wearing clothing that covers their faces in public, joining a list of central asian, Muslim-dominated countries to restrict forms of Islamic dress.
The law says clothing that 'interferes with facial recognition' will be banned in public, with exemptions for medical purposes, in adverse weather conditions and at sporting and cultural events.
However, the legislation does not mention any particular religion or religious dress that the ban has been imposed on. Earlier, Tokayev had hailed the law, saying that it would empower Kazakhstan's ethnic identity, a majority-Muslim country and former Soviet republic.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'Rather than wearing face-concealing black robes, it's much better to wear clothes in the national style,' he was quoted by Kazakh media as saying earlier this year.
'Our national clothes vividly emphasise our ethnic identity, so we need to popularise them comprehensively,' added Tokayev.
How have face coverings become contentious?
Although the face ban has been seen as a progressive step by the government in Kazakhstan, a case in 2023 suggests that citizens of the country do not support such bans.
That year, more than 150 schoolgirls in the Atyrau region refused to attend classes in protest against a hijab ban.
Similar incidents were reported in other southern regions. Authorities stated that the situation was resolved following consultations with parents; however, uncertainty persisted over the extent of the restrictions, particularly whether they applied to the hijab.
'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,' Tokayev said at the time, highlighting Kazakhstan's secular identity.
Which other countries have banned face coverings?
Several Central Asian countries with Muslim-majority populations have enacted bans on face coverings in recent years, citing security concerns and efforts to preserve secular national identities. Apart from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan have all introduced restrictions targeting garments such as the niqab, burqa, and paranja, which obscure the face.
These measures often apply to public spaces and government institutions, with officials arguing that such attire is foreign to local cultural traditions and could hinder public safety or facial recognition.
With inputs from agencies
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump Slams Zohran Mamdani Over Netanyahu's Arrest Threat in New York City  Firstpost America
Trump Slams Zohran Mamdani Over Netanyahu's Arrest Threat in New York City  Firstpost America

First Post

timean hour ago

  • First Post

Trump Slams Zohran Mamdani Over Netanyahu's Arrest Threat in New York City Firstpost America

Trump Slams Zohran Mamdani Over Netanyahu's Arrest Threat in New York City | Firstpost America |N18G Trump Slams Zohran Mamdani Over Netanyahu's Arrest Threat in New York City | Firstpost America |N18G US President Donald Trump has intensified attacks on New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of anti-Jewish views and calling him a 'communist.' Trump also criticised Mamdani's pledge to arrest Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu over an ICC warrant if he visits New York. Netanyahu responded that he was not concerned and said he would visit New York City with President Trump. Mamdani, who recently defeated Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, would be NYC's first Muslim and Indian-American mayor. Trump has also questioned Mamdani's citizenship, which Mamdani, a naturalised US citizen, has rejected as a political distraction. Watch the video to know more. See More

Chief Minister Yogi vows strict legal action against U.P. conversion racket accused
Chief Minister Yogi vows strict legal action against U.P. conversion racket accused

The Hindu

timean hour ago

  • The Hindu

Chief Minister Yogi vows strict legal action against U.P. conversion racket accused

Amid the arrest of Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, the alleged mastermind of a religious conversion racket, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday (July 8, 2025) said initial investigations revealed that his activities are not only anti-social but also 'anti-national'. Mr. Adityanath added properties of the accused, and all the criminals associated with the Jalaluddin gang will be confiscated and strict legal action will be taken against them. 'Our government is fully committed to the dignity and safety of our sisters and daughters. Initial investigation has revealed that the activities of accused Jalaluddin are not only anti-social but also anti-national. The Uttar Pradesh government will not show any leniency towards law and order. The properties of the accused and all the criminals associated with his gang will be confiscated and strict legal action will be taken against them,' wrote Mr. Adityanath, on X. The U.P. CM added there is no place for those who disturb peace, harmony and safety of women in the state. 'They will be given such punishment as per the law that it will set an example for the society,' Mr. Adityanath said. The Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested the alleged mastermind of a religious conversion gang Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, a resident of Madhpur in Balrampur district and co-accused Neetu alias Nasreen on Saturday (July 5, 2025). The case, registered at a police station in Gomtinagar, Lucknow, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021, alleges that the accused acted in an organized manner to convert individuals from Hindu and non-Muslim communities to Islam.

There can be no equivalence between India and Pakistan on terror
There can be no equivalence between India and Pakistan on terror

Indian Express

timean hour ago

  • Indian Express

There can be no equivalence between India and Pakistan on terror

A Brahmos missile — several were fired during Operation Sindoor in response to the gruesome terror attack in Pahalgam — typically costs around Rs 35 crore. For approximately less than half that cost, seven all-party delegations have made as much of an impact. Just like the BrahMos, they were precisely on target. Galvanising global political and social opinion in India's favour at such a time cannot be left to career diplomats alone. The decision to send these delegations is itself a historic step by the government, with the political class across the spectrum rising to the occasion. This step was needed as foreign governments and media, especially from the West, have not grasped the gravity of the challenge of cross-border terrorism faced by India for the last several decades. The West, generally speaking, also has the habit of looking at Pakistan as just another Islamic state, ignoring the history of its origin, its partition in 1971 and its habit of promoting terrorism while playing the victim card. Many consider both India and Pakistan to have legitimate complaints against each other, viewing both as being at fault, in one way or another. While the challenge of tackling misperceptions about India — especially our neighbourhood policy — is daunting, the least we must do is persuade foreign leaders and opinion makers to drop their habit of bracketing India and Pakistan together. It is against this backdrop that one must understand the importance of political leaders from across party lines speaking in one voice and attempting to correct perceptions in major world capitals. Global opinion makers habitually make at least four mistakes: Looking at Pakistan as being forced to secede from India; thinking that India instigated the conflict between West and East Pakistan; equating Islamic nationalism with India's cultural nationalism, and finally disregarding the centrality of the army's role in Pakistan's governance. Why does the global media continue to be shy in calling a spade a spade? Why are terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir referred to as militants? Let's examine the seriousness of these mistakes, as India has been paying a huge price for the ignorance — manufactured ignorance, in some instances — of the global community. First thing first: The global community needs to be told that the creation of Pakistan out of undivided India is not comparable with the case of East Timor or Kosovo. Those who left for Pakistan during Partition were neither persecuted nor did they face any injustice. However, the deep-seated guilt complex of Indian leaders of the time manifested through the policy of Muslim appeasement for several decades post-Partition and lent credence to Pakistan's attempts to present itself as an underdog. This went unchallenged primarily because we failed to make the right noises, backed by data, in opinion-making circles, thereby failing to show how Pakistan shelters and patronises terrorists to ensure its own survival. The second grave mistake of the global community lies in equating the separation of East Pakistan with Pakistan-sponsored secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir. Unlike the government of Pakistan back then, governments in India — regardless of which party is in power — worked to transform J&K into a developed state. They've done this by providing huge welfare support to the people of this border area. It would not be wrong to suggest that the continuation of Article 370 was used by the global community as evidence of India's wrongdoing, that it undermined its claim over this Union Territory. It is high time we make it clear to the global media, academia and intelligentsia that the case of J&K is not comparable to that of Bangladesh and that the JKLF is not the Mukti Bahini. The BJP has made it clear that not just cultural nationalism, but even the idea of a Hindu rashtra, has nothing to do with a theocratic state. Ekam sat, vipra bahudha vadanti is the foundational value of our cultural nationalism, reflected not just in the BJP's worldview but in its governance. Indian culture is all about abhorrence of any monopolistic approach in spiritual matters. Sadly, thanks to many in our own intelligentsia, there are attempts to build a false narrative that eventually allows Pakistan to take shelter under a manufactured whataboutery. Right from the time of its founding, Pakistan has presented itself as a victim. Indian governments of the time, on the other hand, failed to present Pakistan as an aggressor state. Post-Independence, our leadership always shied away from bringing Pakistan's expansionism to the notice of the global community with adequate force. The writer is a national executive committee member of the BJP

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store