State has right to interfere in religion to ensure national security

When it comes to national security, the concept of state policy in the religious sphere gives the right to intervene in it and set certain limits. Secretary of the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic Temir Jumakadyrov said this at the International Bishkek Anti-Terrorist Forum of EEU countries.

According to him, the state for decades ignored the religious sphere that has led to radicalization and extremism. «In 2014, during a meeting of the Security Council, the issues of the religious sphere were considered, and the president set the task of developing a concept of state policy in it," Temir Jumakadyrov said.

He noted that after the adoption of the concept for 2014–2020, Kyrgyzstan began conducting systematic work in the sphere of religion, the results of which can be seen soon.

«We recognize that Hanafism is a movement around which the Muslim community should crystallize. The concept gives a clear direction where we should move in the religious sphere in order to prevent radicalism and extremism. We will implement it no matter someone likes it or not," he concluded.