SHOCKING! This Muslim-majority nation has imposed ban on hijab, niqab due to...; not Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the country is...
Kazakhstan Hijab Ban: Most non-Muslim liberal nations do not impose restrictions on religious practices and beliefs and Muslim women in these countries freely practice their religion, including wearing hijab and niqab (face-covering) in public spaces. But, shockingly, a Muslim-majority nation with a Muslim President, and over 70 percent Muslim population, has passed a law banning women from covering their faces with a hijab or niqab in public spaces. Which Muslim country has imposed a hijab ban?
The country we are talking about is Kazakhstan, where 70 percent population are adherents of Islam. According to media reports, Kazakhstan's parliament has passed a law that makes donning a hijab, niqab, burka, or any type of clothing that covers the face in public places, a punishable offence. Why Kazakhstan banned hijab?
As per officials, the new law is aimed to curb the rise of religious fundamentalism, and to address the security concerns facing the country. The hijab-ban bill will formally become a law after the Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev provides his assent. According to local media reports, the Kazakhstan government has taken the step in wake of security concerns and to maintain the secular identity of the country.
Reports citing Kazakh officials said that face-covering makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to identify a person, which can
pose a threat to the public safety in the country. However, the bill also provides exemptions for certain special circumstances, such as people are allowed to cover their face due to medical reasons, weather, office requirement, cultural program or civil defense. What does the Kazakh government say?
The Kazakhstan government asserted that the move is aimed to maintain the country's secular identity and traditional cultural values. They also claim that niqab and full-face-covering are not mandatory in Islam and such practices are often associated with foreign religious influences.
In March 2024, President Tokayev had called the veil an 'ancient and unnatural dress' that has been imposed on the country's women by
fundamentalists. Tokayev had described hijab, niqab and similar dresses as being against the traditional culture of Kazakhstan.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that Kazakhstan has imposed a hijab-ban. In 2017, the country had banned wearing of hijab and similar clothing in public schools, and in 2023, the ban extended to students and teachers across all educational institutions, triggering protests in which more than 150 quit school in protest. Kazakhstan's neighbors also have rules against hijab
Notably, several of Kazakhstan's neighboring countries have imposed restrictions of hijab and similar clothing, including Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, where wearing of veils and face-covering was banned in public places in 2023 and 2025, respectively.
Kazakhstan has more than 70 percent Muslim population but the country's constitution is based on secular values and its cultural traditions.
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