Some 2,500 websites with illegal content found in Kazakhstan this year - Ministry of Religious Affairs
ASTANA. Nov 9 (Interfax) - Specialists from the Kazakh Ministry of Religious Affairs have studied 5,527 websites since the beginning of this year and found illegal materials on 2,487 of them, the ministry press service said.
"Negative expert decisions on these sites have been sent to the Information and Communication Ministry for relevant technical measures to be taken, mainly for such sites to be blocked," the press service said in a statement released on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs also organized a theological evaluation of 3,495 religious materials to determine if they contradict Kazakhstan's Constitution and legislation and breach citizens' rights and freedoms. Of these materials, 179 were found in breach of the legislation, the statement said.
The ministry has drafted a package of changes to legislation governing religious activities. They include 52 amendments to nine laws and two codes.
Among them is a provision that prohibits dissemination of religious literature and information materials with religious content to minors who are under the age of 16, with the exception of literature and materials used by parents or other lawful representatives of minors for educational purposes, and also literature and materials disseminated to children who officially study at spiritual (religious) educational organizations, the press service said.