The space for free speech seems to be shrinking in Kyrgyzstan not just in temporal matters, but in spiritual affairs too. The Central Asian nation’s Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAMK) has threatened to punish a social media influencer who told her followers that pre-marital sex is not a sin.
The SADK, a non-governmental agency in Kyrgyzstan with oversight authority of Islamic affairs, including management of educational institutions and mosques, issued a warning to the influencer, Ainura Sagynbaeva, on May 6, accusing her of undermining national values and contradicting the tenets of Islam.
“Some of her thoughts distance her from faith. If the above-mentioned citizen does not stop expressing her subjective thoughts that do not correspond to the principles of Sharia and national values, we will be forced to contact the relevant authorities,” the SAMK, also known as the Muftiate, statement noted.
The SAMK statement did not specify how religious authorities would take action against Sagynbaeva. Some supporters called on authorities to file a lawsuit against her. Others went so far as to call for her arrest for blasphemy.
In a May 3 video post on her TikTok channel, Sagynbaeva, who describes herself as a psychologist and cosmetologist, responded to a query from teenage subscribers, who said they are “embarrassed and afraid” to engage in pre-marital sex because it is deemed sinful. In the video, Sagynbaeva said that a lack of sex can be “harmful to the health” of men. “If you don't have sex, it will harm your health. Then you will contact me like your older uncles who tell me about their problems in their sex life. It's not a sin to have sex. But only with a condom, without a condom is a sin,” she explained.
The Muftiate’s May 6 warning had an immediate chilling effect on Sagynbaeva, who deleted the controversial TikTok post. She also published a contrite post on Instagram, saying that she intended to “no longer study sexology,” adding that “I have also closed the topic of religion until I study the Qur’an, this [will not happen] quickly.”
The SAMK’s actions drew a fair amount of criticism on social media. One critic, Tattuububu Ergeshbaeva, a lawyer, wrote on Facebook on May 7 that the Muftiate can indeed sue the blogger for inciting religious hatred. At the same time, Ergeshbaeva maintained, religious authorities must consider Sagynbaeva’s right to freedom of religious belief. The lawyer also pointed out that Islamic traditions in Kyrgyzstan are open to various interpretations.
“Within a secular state, it is important to maintain a balance between freedom of expression and respect for the rights and beliefs of other citizens. The Constitution of Kyrgyzstan guarantees freedom of conscience and religion, the separation of religion from the state,” explained Ergeshbaeva.
The balance between freedom of expression and state interests has been tipping decidedly in the direction of the state of late.
In April, authorities banned TikTok, alleging that the Chinese-owned social media platform was a font of content harmful to the well-being of young people. The ban has not cut off access completely to TikTok, as determined users can find ways to circumvent government blocks, such as the use of virtual private networks, or VPNs. But the move has diminished the site’s popularity. The threat of punitive action against Sagynbaeva is likely to further discourage citizens from posting content on the platform.
Prior to the TikTok ban, parliament adopted a law requiring any organization receiving funding from a foreign entity to register as a “foreign agent.” Critics of the law say it can be used as a tool to stifle dissent and control watchdog non-governmental groups and independent media outlets.
