The U.S. State Department’s 2023 World Religious Freedom Report lists Tajikistan as a country of “particular concern” due to “gross violations of religious freedoms.” The report cited evidence of religious restrictions by the state, including a ban on the hijab, restrictions on minors and women performing namaz in mosques, and the harassment of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The authors of the report also noted that residents of Tajikistan refrain from freely discussing religion for fear of persecution by the authorities.
This is not the first time the Tajik government has been criticized for restricting religious freedoms, including religious observance, but President Emomali Rahmon continues to support his government’s policy on these issues.
In Tajikistan, 90% of the population is Muslim, predominantly followers of the Hanafi madhhab, whilst 4% are Ismailis. The central part of the Christian community are followers of the Orthodox Church. There are 4,058 religious organizations and associations officially registered in the country, including 66 which are non-Muslim. The authors of the report noted that the activities of these organizations were under strict control.
According to the Tajik Interior Minister, Ramazon Rakhimzoda, 195 alleged members of “extremist” and “terrorist” organizations were detained in Tajikistan in the first half of 2023. The Norwegian human rights NGO for religious freedom, Forum-18, reported that at least 19 people were convicted last year for exercising the right to freedom of worship.
