New Religion Law in Kyrgyzstan Marks the Deterioration of Religious Freedom

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on Kyrgyzstan:

Kyrgyzstan Country Update - In June 2025, a USCIRF delegation traveled to Kyrgyzstan to meet with civil society and government officials to discuss religious freedom conditions, including the passage of the 2025 religion law and amendments to related legislation. These legislative changes expanded the governmental control over the religious space and marked the legal manifestation of the government’s recent efforts to increasingly securitize religion. This publication summarizes the contents of the new legislation and highlights civil society representatives’ concerns about how it could target peaceful religious activities. It also provides an update on religious freedom violations targeting independent Muslims and other non-Islamic minority groups.

In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended Kyrgyzstan for inclusion on the U.S. Department of State’s Special Watch List for engaging in systematic and ongoing violations of religious freedom. In September 2025, USCIRF held a hearing on laws impacting religious freedom conditions in Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan. 

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].