Authorities in Kyrgyzstan are planning to introduce a limit on the number of mosques, prayer rooms, temples, and other religious facilities in populated areas. A draft government resolution has been submitted for public discussion.
According to the State Commission for Religious Affairs, a campaign was launched in 2021 to conduct official registration of previously built but unregistered religious facilities across the country.
During the campaign, 644 religious institutions were found to be operating without official registration.
«As of early 2023, more than 200 additional religious facilities under construction were identified. Meanwhile, the number of requests to local government bodies and municipal administrations for financial assistance to complete construction of religious facilities is growing daily. These religious facilities are often being built without a realistic assessment of community needs. In some settlements, up to 10 religious buildings may be operating in close proximity to each other,» the statement notes.
Given this, the commission sees the need to set a limit on the number of religious facilities in populated areas.
The draft resolution proposes the following minimum distance requirements between newly designed religious buildings:
- In villages — at least 2 kilometers apart;
- In rural municipalities (aiyl aimaks) — at least 3 kilometers apart;
- In cities — at least 4 kilometers apart;
If approved, the new regulations will not apply to already constructed religious facilities.
