Draft religion law causes anxiety in Tajikistan

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan — Tajikistan’s religious minorities have expressed “deep anxiety” about the country’s latest draft law on religion, Forum 18 News Service reported July 2. They fear the law will make it almost impossible for any non-Muslim religious communities to gain legal status.

The government is currently refusing to accept new legal-status applications. A joint letter of concern to the Tajik president and parliament has been signed by 22 religious minorities, including Baha’is, Catholics, Baptists and other Protestant denominations.

Although the law limits the number of mosques, the officially backed Muslim leadership refuses to comment on the law, referring all of Forum 18’s inquiries to the government.

Payam Foroughi, an official at Dushanbe’s Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Centre, is critical of the law’s “over intensive state control on religion and religious activities” and is working with the government, civil society and all religious organizations to enable a law that will meet Tajikistan’s international commitments.