QURGHON TEPPA, June 21, Asia-Plus /Sayrahmon Nazriyev — The Khatlon prosecutor’s office claims that the country’s law on religion and religious activity is being violated practically in all parts of the region.
Ghiyosiddin Umarov, an official with the Khatlon prosecutor’s office, has told Asia-Plus that instances of such violations were recorded in the districts of Vose, Panj, Hamadoni, and Muminobod.
“In Panj, for example, 78 mosques have been reported; of them, 44 do have certificates on use of land on which they are located. Besides, 11 mosques have functioned illegally because they do not have any documents for holding religious activity,” said Mr. Umarov, “It is to be noted that local authorities show negligence in this issue because such illegal mosques have also organized illegal religious training course for youth in the region.”
According to him, branches of the main mosques (masjidi jome’) such as Hoji Safar, Langar, Gesh, Kulchashma, Dehbaland and Boghai have been illegally opened in the Muminobod district. “The Khatlon prosecutor’s office has found decisions on opening these branches illegal and appealed for closing them, because under the law the branches of mosques are opened in the areas having population of not less than 10,000 people,” the prosecutor said.
Now these mosques are banned from continuing their activities.
At present there are more than 60 main and 1,284 ordinary mosques in the Khatlon province.
