After an inspection organized by the competent authorities with the participation of representatives of the Committee for Religious Affairs, about ten small shops selling religious goods and literature near the central mosque in Dushanbe were closed.
One of the employees of the Department of Religious Associations under the Committee for Religious Affairs said that they found some literature in all these stores, for which they have questions, and now this matter is being examined.
“These shops usually sell samizdat, interpretations of some religious norms, and all these brochures and books are not designed in the prescribed manner,” says lawyer Saidjon Sharipov. “So, none of these books have neither qualification indexes, nor an index of universal activity of the international standard book number. But I don’t think the authorities closed the bookstores because of this. Most likely, one of the publications contained something that, according to some zealous official, falls under the ‘distribution of publishing materials and printed materials containing false information, slanderous and provocative information, extremist statements’.
The authorities haven’t commented on the decision to close bookstores. Their doors are sealed with the seal of the Department of Religious Associations under the Committee for Religious Affairs, and the owners and traders of bookstores are warned of liability in case of violation of the ban.
Human rights organizations have long criticized Tajikistan for restricting religious freedoms. For example, when obtaining a national or foreign passport, citizens are forced to shave off their beards; in state institutions, officials are prohibited from wearing hijabs and other religious clothing.
The authorities each time deny all accusations, saying that all their efforts are aimed only at strengthening the fight against extremism and strengthening national identity.
