Curbing Religious Extremism in Kazakstan

A new religious studies centre in Kostanai in northern Kazakstan reflects the authorities desire to stop young people falling under the influence of radical religious ideas.
 

The centre at Kostanai State University was established earlier this autumn, at the start of the academic year.

Its head Gaziz Shaimerden says it will make students more aware of the various religious groups that espouse, and will combine research activities with public outreach events.

Shaimerden denied the centre represented an attempt to control young people’s minds by telling them what to believe in, or that it would target those who joined faiths outside the two main religious institutions – the state controlled Islamic hierarchy and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Yulia Denisenko runs an NGO which aims to help “victims of destructive religious tendencies”, and welcomes moves to provide more guidance to young people.

This audio programme, in Russian, went out on Radio KN, a station in the Kostanai region of northern Kazakstan, as part of IWPR project work funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If you would like to comment or ask a question about this story, please contact our Central Asia editorial team at feedback.ca@iwpr.net.