Tajikistan: Government control over religion growing

Tajikistan | 03 October 2016

On 6 September 2016 Forum 18 published information about Tajikistan"s increasing control of religious affairs. Back in 2009 a harsh Religion Law had been introduced, which prohibited religious activities among people under 18 years of age. Forum 18 reports now that all 19 madrassas for 16 to 18 year old Muslims that had functioned with state approval prior to the 2009 Religion Law, have since been closed down. Five other madrassas in the Sogd region - suspended in 2013 - have also been finally closed, as was the Islamic University's madrassa in Dushanbe. Rolf Zeegers, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, says that Tajikistan used to be quite relaxed about matters of religion until 2009: "The fact that the largest religious group in the country (Muslims) were able to openly and officially run religious schools is a very good indication for this. Since 2009 the regime in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, has become much more authoritarian. All political opposition has been banned and legislation has become more restrictive. In August 2011 further laws were passed prohibiting all youth-work." Rolf Zeegers points out that Christians have also experienced the change of climate: "The focus of the government against youth-work has affected summer camps, a traditional church activity that brings young Christians together during the summer holidays. This can no longer be done openly as the camps will be raided by the police. And it goes much further: Since August 2011 any form of youth-work is prohibited. Since youth form about 50% of Christians, this has big consequences. The fact that the youth-work of the biggest religious group (Muslims) has been so severely curtailed, shows how seriously the regime is taking this law. Christians, be warned!"