Despite the establishment of secularism in the Kyrgyz constitution, various laws and policies continue to restrict religious freedom. Since the country’s independence, religion has become an increasingly significant part of everyday life for most citizens; around ninety percent of the population identifies as Muslim. State policy concerning religion is focused on protecting traditional religions and preserving national identity. Since the 1990s, it also includes regulating Muslim groups which it regards as “extremist” and a threat to national security. Nonetheless, the Kyrgyz media both facilitates the spread of Islam and challenges the state’s religious intolerance.
The media is able to “shape public opinion and belief, change habits of life, actively mould behaviour and impose political systems even against resistance.” In Kyrgyzstan, religious organisations wield the power of the media, and disseminate information about Islam. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan (SAMK), a non governmental entity, is the highest Islamic managing body. SAMK has radio and television programs, and a website, all used for teaching Islam. Social media is also widely used, especially amongst youth, for dissipating and consuming religious content. On Instagram, subscribers regularly direct religious questions towards two popular accounts “Minute for the Soul” and “Islam Nuru”. The use of social media indicates a bottom-up flow of information regarding religion, as independent creators, equipped with little to no funding, post Islamic content which reaches large audiences. This happens alongside the top-down flow of resources from organisations like SAMK, which has large funding for their religious channels.
Religion is also spread nationally through another medium, newspapers, such as an Islamic magazine, Umma, and a newspaper published by the Islamic University of Kyrgyzstan, Beyish. There are also those like Maral FM and Ayan TV which are not exclusively religious, but have religious shows airing once a week.
The great successes of these media is, in part, as a result of the use of language to bridge the gap between religion and ethnicity. Since Islam originated in Mecca, in modern-day Saudi Arabia, and religious texts are written originally in Arabic, Islam in Kyrgyzstan is traditionally associated with foreign countries and a foreign language which the majority never learn. The first Kyrgyz language edition of the Holy Quran was only published in 1991, translated from the Russian version. However, recent media developments break the information gap by publishing religious information almost exclusively in Kyrgyz, eradicating the necessity of Arabic to understand Islam. Thus, Islam becomes more accessible to the Kyrgyz population and integrates itself into Kyrgyz national identity.
The media consolidates and strengthens the popularity of already well-received religious leaders and organisations by providing a platform for them to reach new audiences and reinforce their position in society. For example, Kyrgyzstan’s two most famous religious leaders, Chubak ajy Zhalilov and Abdushukur ajy Narmatov, frequently appear in Maral fm’s weekly Q&A religious show, “Iman—Oi Tolgoo,”and of Ayan tv channel’s Q&A show, “Shariat.” Chubak ajy’s sermons have been broadcasted nationwide by the media. He hosts
a channel on Facebook and YouTube, Nasaat Media, which has almost 1.5 million subscribers and over 200 million views. Chubak ajy’s influence is so strongly ingrained that most people listen to his opinion after the Muftiiat issues a fatwa on a certain issue. The Muftiiat is the highest religious authority in the country, and it issues fatwas (Islamic legal opinions) which address questions regarding religion and its application in modern life. Thus, Chubak ajy poses a challenge to the Muftiia’s power over religious interpretation.
Kyrgyzstan’s constitution ensures the separation of religion and state, prohibits the creation of religiously motivated political parties and the pursuit of political objectives by religious groups. It also forbids the establishment of any religion as an official or compulsory religion, and guarantees freedom of conscience and religion. Nonetheless, in practice, Kyrgyzstan follows its 2008 law About Freedom of Religion and Religious Organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic (religion law) to monitor religious matters. This law also guarantees freedom of religion or belief, but critically contains provisions which restrict religious activities, particularly those of religious minorities. The law requires all religious entities to register with the state to achieve legal operation, but the government has refused registration of Ahmadiyya Muslims, Tengrinists, and Hare Krishna devotees as religious organizations. Moreover, non-Muslim religious groups face discrimination and violence, such as the destruction of places of worship. Those subscribing to certain religious groups have been reported to be unwilling to report religiously based hate crimes for fear of government retaliation or non-response.
Regarding Muslims, the state is focused on combating religious extremism, and imposes bans on 21 “religiously oriented” groups which it considers as extremist, which includes a prohibition on publishing material online. The state has even arrested those who post “extremist” content on social media. In 2022, the state initiated at least 246 cases under charges of “preparing or distributing extremist material”, including the diffusion of information online. The government’s efforts to eliminate religious extremism is not motivated purely by secularism, but rather to ensure public safety.
Although religious intolerance is a growing problem not only amongst the Kyrgyz population, but also in government, citizens are using the media to reduce the influence of this phenomenon. Organisations like Public Union Mutakalim have used online media to reduce the conflict between different religious groups, and promote religious tolerance. This is not a secular move, but rather an attempt to preserve religious freedom through fostering respect for those with different beliefs. During the project, Mutakalim hosted live streams on social media for a month, each day inviting a guest speaker to discuss the importance of religious tolerance or peacebuilding. A participant in the online conference attests that before, he held a negative opinion of Kyrgyzstani who practiced religions other than Islam, but now acknowledges the importance of respecting the opinions of others, “I was especially struck by the fact that the Qur’an says that there is no coercion in religion, so everyone has the right to choose their path.”
In 2023, the Kyrgyz government targeted independent media which regularly reported on religious freedom concerns, notably the forced closure of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Kyrgyz service Azattyk. State intolerance towards freedom of religion reduces space for dialogue and thus leads to such hostility between religious groups.
Despite the government’s claim to be secular, there have been instances which demonstrate religion’s effect on policy, governmental intolerance of certain religions, and the declining stability of religious freedom.