The Kyrgyz president’s official website says the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, has signed a decree on measures to implement the law “On Burial and Funeral Services”.

The decree recommends that the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of Kyrgyzstan issue a fatwa (ruling) prohibiting the construction and installation of monuments, statues, gravestones, and fences made of stone, granite, marble, metal, and combinations of these materials in Muslim cemeteries. Exceptions may be made for burials of historical and cultural significance.

"According to Sharia, it is forbidden for a Muslim to erect expensive stones and place photos on the grave, fence it with iron barriers, or use cement and concrete.  Such practices do not help the deceased. On the contrary, the use of fired materials and the construction of roofs over the grave cause the soul of the deceased to suffer," President Japarov told the Kabar news agency in an interview in July this year, according to Fergana.

Japarov urged his fellow citizens to stop installing monuments made of metal and stone in cemeteries.

According to the decree, gravestones and fences should be made from wooden materials and should not exceed 0.7 meter in height.  

The president believes these measures will help prevent wastefulness in the construction of gravestones.

The SAM, the State Commission on Religious Affairs, the plenipotentiary representatives of the president in the regions, local authorities, and several other bodies are tasked with conducting ongoing informational and explanatory work among the population regarding burial practices.

The State Agency for Architecture, Construction, and Housing and Utilities has been tasked with developing and approving, within three months, urban planning documentation and standard regulations (instructions) governing ecological and sanitary requirements for the placement, design, maintenance, and management of cemeteries, the dimensions of gravestones, and the requirements for materials used for their construction and installation.