Alisher Kadyrov: Women should not be forced to remove their hijab for ID

The deputy of the Oliy Majlis Legislative Chamber and leader of the "Milliy Tiklanish" (National Revival) party, Alisher Kadyrov, has stated that women should no longer be forced to remove their hijab for passport photographs. He posted about the issue on his Telegram channel on August 8, amid debates following a concert in Tashkent by famous American singer Jennifer Lopez.

“Jennifer Lopez’s concert is a high-income, closed event. If there is no propaganda against the state or display of narcotics, it can be held. Wearing revealing clothing is her own choice, and seeing her in such clothing is the choice of those who attend her concert. This is the principle of secularism.

But I also want to suggest that our fellow female citizens’ right to wear the hijab should also be legally protected. We have accepted public nudity as part of secularism; it is now time to embrace those who wear the hijab. We did not teach Lopez how to dress, so we should not teach our women how to wear the hijab. We must stop forcing women to remove their hijab for passport photography,” the legislator said.

He emphasized that identification requires only a person’s face, not their hair. He also called for freedom of choice for religious women.

“Secularism means equality for all people; it is not about the strong imposing their views on the weak. To understand Lopez’s dance, we should have studied Márquez’s world philosophy,” he stated.

The official also noted that there is no dispute that Uzbekistan is a secular country, and that a secular state allows citizens to live as they wish, provided they do not violate laws adopted by a majority-elected parliament and approved by a popularly elected president.

“The rights of all nationalities and people of different worldviews to live freely and behave without breaching the rules are guaranteed by law, and we should not forget that ensuring the well-being of the people is our top priority. All are equal before the law, and discrimination is prohibited.

If a fellow citizen wants to drink beer, he can; it is his choice. Those who choose not to drink simply do not, and they are not obliged to explain their reasons. Consuming alcohol is permissible, but advertising it is forbidden by law. Of course, this can be changed by parties that dominate parliamentary elections, and such parties can make drinking alcohol a national culture and same-sex marriage a freedom of choice.

I want to remind you that the "Milliy Tiklanish"  party has always advocated linking development with our traditional culture,” the party leader said.

It is worth noting that a concert titled “Up All Night – Live in 2025” was held in Tashkent on August 7, with American star Jennifer Lopez performing at Bunyodkor Stadium before a crowd of fans.