A woman from Khujand was reportedly taken to police station today morning for refusal to take off the hijab (Islamic headscarf). In the police station, she was reportedly made write a letter of explanation why she wears the hijab.
Asia-Plus received the letter about this incident today morning. According to the letter, two police officers and two women came to the woman’s house and demanded she take off the hijab. But she reportedly refused, and therefore, she was taken to the police station.
Asia-Plus journalists got in touch with the woman by phone. She was writing the letter of explanation at that moment and they asked her to hand over a telephone receiver to a police officer. The police officer said that nobody had burst into her house and demanded nothing of her and then hanged up.
Asia-Plus has applied for comments to the Interior Ministry. Umarjon Emomali, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said that an investigation into the incident is under way and adequate measures will be taken over the incident.
Recall, a source in Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament told Asia-Plus in an interview that Tajikistan’s legislation does not stipulate punishment for wearing non-traditional clothes and actions of some officials threatening women with fine for wearing hijab (Islamic headscarf) are illegal.
“The law making amendments to the law on the order of observing national traditions and rituals urges citizens to observe and respect the state language and the style of wearing national traditional clothes and protect them against modern negative effects, but it carries no penalties,” the source said.
According to him, actions of some officials threatening women with fine for wearing hijab or ragged jeans are absolutely illegal.
The law on the order of observing national traditions and rituals initially drafted by President Emomali Rahmon is actual since 2007. According to the document, citizens who spend lavish weddings and funerals, thereby damaging their family budget, are subject to fine.
The law regulates private celebrations, allegedly to protect the public from spending excessive amounts of money. It restricts the manner in which individuals can conduct private celebrations, including those with religious significance, such as weddings, funerals, gatherings after the return of a pilgrim from the hajj, and the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. National minorities specifically are exempted from restrictions in celebrating their national events.
Officials monitor weddings and funerals for compliance with the law on traditions and rituals and violation of the law is liable to fine.
Although the new law amending a 10-year-old law that governs the practice of traditions, rites, and celebrations in Tajikistan does not specifically mention the hijab, authorities in the past have said that head scarves that cover the front of a woman’s neck are a form of “alien culture and traditions.”
Since late spring, the Tajik authorities have been carrying out a massive renewed campaign against women wearing the hijab. Working groups have been raiding bazaars and public places in Dushanbe to reveal women wearing the hijab. They are reportedly carrying out explanatory work among women wearing hijab.
Meanwhile, women, vendors at Dushanbe’s open-air markets, say members of the working group were not carrying out explanatory work but were threatening them with fines, up to 1,000 somoni, it they do not take off hijab.
Representatives of the Committee for Family and Women’s Affairs deny these allegations as absolutely unfounded. They claimed the raids were merely an “awareness campaign.” According to them, no fines are provided for wearing hijab.
