Kazakhstan’s Niqab Ban Highlights Growing Restrictions on Islamic Dress in Muslim-Majority Countries

Kazakhstan’s Niqab Ban Highlights Growing Restrictions on Islamic Dress in Muslim-Majority Countries
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Kazakhstan’s recent decision to ban the wearing of the Islamic niqab in public spaces has sparked widespread concern, adding to a growing wave of laws that restrict visible Islamic religious practices — even in countries where Muslims form the majority. A new international report shows that Kazakhstan is not alone in enacting such bans. In recent years, several other Muslim-majority nations have passed similar laws prohibiting face coverings in public, including Algeria (2018), Tunisia (2019), Uzbekistan (2021), Egypt (2023), Tajikistan (2024), and Kyrgyzstan (2025).

While these measures are often justified under the banners of “public security” or “national identity,” critics argue they disproportionately target practicing Muslim women, forcing them to choose between their religious convictions and facing fines or penalties. The report notes that such bans do not address extremism or violence but instead single out modest dress practices that symbolize piety and privacy, while other, less conservative attire is often tolerated or even promoted.

Experts and observers warn that these policies represent a systematic effort to disconnect societies from their religious and cultural roots by undermining principles of modesty and personal choice — rather than addressing ideological differences through dialogue and understanding. Notably, most of the countries imposing these bans officially recognize Islam as their state religion or have Muslim-majority populations, raising serious questions about the consistency of such measures with the principles of religious freedom and women’s right to dress according to their beliefs.