Kazakh President Toqaev has promulgated a law banning the wearing of the burqa and niqab in public, in line with the trend in Central Asia to restrict the Islamic headscarf.

A law recently promulgated by Kazakh President Qasym-Jomart Toqaev bans clothing that impairs facial recognition, such as the burqa and niqab, to promote Kazakhstan's ethnic identity. Although it does not explicitly mention religion, the law reflects a regional trend of restricting Islamic veiling. Toqaev, a Muslim, has emphasized the importance of promoting national dress over face-coverings. Other Central Asian countries, such as Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, have adopted similar laws in recent years.