Over the past fifteen years, residents of Dushanbe have held 144,390 wedding and mourning events totaling worth 481,390,245 somonis (TJS).
As it was noted at a meeting to discuss the process of the implementation of the Law of Tajikistan on Regulating Traditions, Celebrations, and Rituals in the Tajik capital 14,575 circumcision rites, 98,747 wedding ceremonies, 16,974 mourning events (the 40th-day memorial after death) and 14,343 death-anniversary rites have been held in Dushanbe for the period from June 1, 2007 to October 1, 2022.
To hold these events, more than 40,000 head of cattle and 7,462 head of small ruminants have been slaughtered over the reporting period.
902 cases of violation of the law on regulating national traditions and rituals have bene reported in the city over the past fifteen years.
Adopted in June 2007, Tajikistan’s Law on Observing Traditions, Celebrations, and Rituals regulates private celebrations, allegedly to protect the public from spending excessive amounts of money. This law 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.
The Law was significantly changed in the summer of 2017. In order to prevent excessive spending on family celebrations and festivities, the revised Law established new rules for conducting weddings, funerals, and celebrations of child births, specifically the circumcision procedure. Concerning conduct at weddings, the Law limits the number of guests to 200 people and states that the wedding celebration cannot be longer than three hours. Weddings must be held between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. during working days and from 8 a.m. through 10 p.m. on weekends. Responsibility for following the rules was extended to include the owners and administrators of the places where celebrations are conducted (e.g., restaurants, club houses) in addition to the organizers of the wedding.
On March 12, 2018, members of the Tajikistan’s legislature approved more amendments to the Law. Provisions of this Law, which allow government, military, and law-enforcement employees to be dismissed from service if they or their family members violate this Law, were extended to include those who serve in the Tajik Internal Troops.
