DUSHANBE, August 3, 2010, Asia-Plus — Tajik law enforcement authorities have detained the leader of madrasah and dozens of his students at his religious school in Roudkai district, some 17 kilometers south of Dushanbe.
Mahmadullo Asadulloyev, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), told Asia-Plus today that Mavlavi Abduqahhor, who is also a religious leader, was detained along with the students at the religious school in the village of Daryoobod, Roudaki district for a number of administrative delinquencies.
According to him, Mavlavi Abduqahhor was detained for teaching without a license. “Besides, he failed to comply with school health and hygienic regulations,” said the spokesman, “Moreover, he was also teaching under the age of 7, while the country’s legislation prohibits teaching religious subjects to children of this age.”
He added that Mavlavi Abduqahhor had some 70 students aged 4 to 16.
Meanwhile, a high-ranking source at a MoI noted that Mavlavi Abduqahhor was detained two weeks ago Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on August 2 that Mavlavi Abduqahhor was detained over the weekend. Mavlavi Abduqahor”s relatives told RFE/RL that Mavlavi Abduqahhor and several students were arrested once before, a few weeks ago, but were later released.
“Mavalvi Abduqahhor is accused of teaching without license and nobody accuses him of committing any criminal offences,” the source said, noting that Abduqahhor’s case has already moved to court. He refrained from giving further details.
In the meantime, information posted on the website of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) says Mavlavi Abduqahhor and his students were beaten by police officers during the detention. “Mavlavi Abduqahhor and some 70 his students were beaten by police during the detention in the village of Daryoobod, the website reported.
Muhammadali Hoit, the deputy head of IRPT, considers that “secular extremism gives rise to Islamic extremism.”
According to the law enforcement authorities, the detentions were carried out under the auspices of the operation, dubbed, Madrasah, which aims to ban all illegal religious schools in Tajikistan.
As it had been reported earlier, six unregistered religious schools were uncovered during the Madrasah operation in Sughd province last month. These unregistered religious schools were uncovered in Isfara, Istaravshan and bobojonghafruov districts.
