DUSHANBE, January 3, 2012, Asia-Plus — 24-year-old resident of Dushanbe, Parviz Davlatbekov, dressed as Father Frost was stabbed to death on the night of January1-2.
Parviz’s relatives say he was attacked for dressing as Father Frost to attend “un-Islamic” New Year celebrations. According to them, a group of young men attacked him and inflicted multiple. The assailants were shouting, accusing Parviz of religious unfaithfulness, the relatives said.
The Interior Ministry says a young man with multiple stab wounds was taken to one of hospitals in Dushanbe on the night of January 1-2. He died on arrival despite efforts of physicians, the source said.
The third-year student from Tajik National University Sharif Davlatov and two other persons, namely, Farrukh Samiyev and Firouz Nazrulloev were arrested on suspicion of having been involved in that crime, the source added.
Meanwhile, Parviz’s relatives say he was attacked for dressing as Father Frost to attend “un-Islamic” New Year celebrations. According to them, Parviz decided to congratulate his relatives on New Year and dressed up as Father Frost. When Parviz came up to the entrance of the apartment building in which he lived, a group of young men and teenagers numbering 30 people attacked him and inflicted multiple stab wounds on him, shouting “Tu kofiri” (you are unfaithful).
The head of the Council of Ulamo (a group of scholars and imams that provides interpretations of religious practice), Saidmukarram Abduqodirzoda, told reporters on December 30 that celebrating New Year’s, decorating the Christmas tree and dancing around the Christmas tree contradict both Islamic laws and Tajik traditions.
Under Tajikistan’s law on holidays, New Year’s Day is an official holyday of Tajikistan and New Year’s morning performances are organized on this occasion at schools and kindergartens.
Every year, the President on December 31 congratulates the nation in a televised address scheduled to coincide with the New Year”s celebrations.
