Kazakh President Calls For Tighter Control Of Religious Groups

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ASTANA -- Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev has called for tighter control over religious groups, saying it was necessary to protect the state from extremism.

Nazarbaev's comments to parliament on September 1 came after security forces in western Kazakhstan this week killed one suspected extremist who authorities said was planning acts of terrorism and captured 18 others.

Nazarbaev claimed the new legislation would not infringe upon people's right to practice their religious beliefs.

"We are not talking about restricting freedom of belief for anyone," he said. "No, we are talking about protecting the state from religious extremism, as all states do, moreover as those states that accept Islam as the state religion ."

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