Christians in Kyrgyzstan brace for increased oversight, religious freedom restrictions

Kyrgyzstan (MNN) — New religion laws in Kyrgyzstan are taking effect this month, signed into law by President Sadyr Japarov in January. The regulations, which affect both Christians and Muslims, include a ban on door-to-door witnessing and increased registration requirements for religious organizations. In an effort to curb a trend toward radical Islam, the government is also banning face coverings and requiring national oversight of Muslim communities. Since the late nineties, all religious org