ASTANA. June 13. KAZINFORM 579 small religious groups stop their activity in Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Agency for Religious Affairs Kairat Lama Sharif told a meeting of the Council for Relations with Religious Associations under the Government of Kazakhstan.

"As a result of joint efforts with the local executive authorities, in accordance with the law, we halt the activities of 579 small religious groups that do not have signs of a legal entity," the head of the agency said.

According to him, before the adoption of the Law "On religious activity and religious associations," they were only registered in the account of the local executive bodies. The biggest number of such religious groups operated in Akmola (17.9%), Karaganda (19.2%), North Kazakhstan (19.5%) and South-Kazakhstan (19.7%) regions.

"At present, most of them stopped their activity," Lama Sharif added.