'Shaman' Activist Goes On Trial

A prominent activist belonging to the pre-Islamic movement of "Tengriism," Kubanychbek Tezekbaev, has gone on trial in Kyrgyzstan, charged with inciting religious and ethnic hatred. The ancient shamanistic religion was widespread among Turkic nations, including the Kyrgyz, before the arrival of Islam. In recent times, Tengriism, which stresses the importance of living in harmony with nature, has been frowned on after receiving harsh criticism from Islamic clerics.