WARSAW, September 28, 2011, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s legal system does not give preference to any particular religious group and does not allow any religious group to impose its ideology on the whole society.
Mavlon Mukhtorov, the deputy head of the Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) under the Government of Tajikistan, remarked this in his statement delivered at the working session on freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief in the framework of the annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw on September 27.
The Basic Law (Constitution) of Tajikistan guarantees freedom of conscience and religion and the Government is taking appropriate measures to ensure tolerance and respect between believers and unbelievers and between different religions and their followers, Mukhtorov noted.
He stressed that Tajikistan was the only country in CIS Central Asia, where the Islamic party functions legally and freely and this party has its representatives in the parliament.
“As of September 1, 2011, 3,829 religious associations were registered with the CRA; 3,755 of them are Islamic associations, including 3,362 “five-time” prayer mosques, 344 Friday prayer mosques (larger facilities built for weekly Friday prayers), 40 central Friday prayer mosques, Islamic Center of Tajikistan, and one Ismaili Jamoatkhona (place of worship),” said Mukhtorov. “Tajikistan has the higher education Islamic institution, the Islamic Institute of Tajikistan. 1,400 students are currently studying at the Islamic Institute. Besides, more than 6,000 students are studying at 19 madrassahs, dozens of religious enlightening schools, one Islamic gymnasium and one secular-religious high school.”
In the meantime, Sayfullo Ergashev, a lawyer with the Human Rights Center’s branch in Khujand, expressed concern about intensification of an undercover fight against believers in Tajikistan. According to him, the March 2009 Law on Religion expanded the government”s power to regulate religious communities. The Law on Observing National Traditions and Rituals regulates private celebrations and funeral services, including weddings, funerals, and Mavludi Payghambar (the birthday of the Prophet). The stated intent of the law was to protect the public from spending excessive amounts of money on celebrations. “But wrong interpretation of these two laws by officials frequently leads to violation of freedom of thought, conscience and religion,” Ergashev noted.
He noted that it was necessary to review the laws and bring them into compliance with the country’s Constitution and international legal norms.
