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Kazakhstan's Parliament is addressing a disturbing trend of individuals posing as religious authorities online، exploiting people's faith and potentially harming national identity and security. Member of Parliament (MP) Yermurat Bapi has demanded a legal assessment of these 'fake imams' and an end to the spread of such content.

Dehumanizing Practices and National Security Risks

MP Bapi highlighted a recent incident that has caused public outcry، where an individual claiming to be a religious leader openly stated he had three wives and had 'gifted' his youngest to a student. Bapi emphasized that this is not an isolated event but a symptom of a larger issue that threatens societal stability، national cultural identity، and information security.

In a formal inquiry addressed to Prosecutor General Berik Asylov، Bapi pointed to these self-proclaimed religious figures who manipulate public consciousness under the guise of religious discourse. "Frankly، these so-called 'preachers' are undermining our national values and weakening the foundations of the state and society،" the inquiry stated.

'Gifting' a Wife Equivalent to Human Trafficking

The MP cited the recent case as a prime example of the problem. "On one internet podcast، a person who introduced himself as a fake imam، with no affiliation to official religious structures، openly stated he had three wives and had 'gifted' the last one to his student،" Bapi expressed his outrage.

According to Bapi، such statements are not only morally reprehensible but also constitute a gross violation of marriage laws، an insult to traditional religion in modern Kazakhstan، and a deliberate act of harm to its values. "To 'gift' a person is essentially equivalent to human trafficking and should be treated as a crime،" he asserted.

Criticism of Media Ethics

Bapi also criticized the media for its role in amplifying such content. He argued that the podcast's author، in pursuit of hype، failed to adhere to professional ethics and journalistic standards، ultimately facing administrative responsibility. "The podcast author – a journalist – in pursuit of hype، failed to observe professional ethics and journalistic standards at a minimum. As a result، he himself was brought to administrative responsibility،" the MP stated.

He urged media representatives and other stakeholders in the media industry not to sacrifice national interests for populism and to strictly adhere to professional، moral، and civic principles. "Every editorial office and every journalist must remember: it is unacceptable to allow the destruction of centuries-old national values and the degradation of public consciousness،" the inquiry concluded.

Bapi stressed that the dissemination of such content constitutes a gross violation of legislation and must be given due legal assessment. It was reported that in late March، an investigation was launched in Almaty following a video of a man identifying himself as a representative of a religious movement. The reason was an interview where the Sufi follower stated he had 'given' his second wife to a student. The Almaty City Department of Religious Affairs determined that such statements violated legislation and posed a threat to society. Consequently، the man was held administratively liable and fined under Article 490 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

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