The Central Asian nation of Tajikistan is majority Muslim, however its authorities lately launched a crackdown in opposition to Islamic headscarves and lengthy beards for males, on the grounds that such apparel is “alien to Tajik tradition.”
New interviews with Tajik Muslims present the federal government is pursuing this coverage with gusto, inflicting complications for American officers who wish to construct a more in-depth relationship with Tajikistan.
Radio Free Europe (RFE) reported on Sunday that the crackdown on Muslim apparel has been efficient. One Tajik Muslim interviewed by the outlet defined that he was arrested, fined about $18, and held for 3 days as a result of he had a protracted beard – and he’s now required to ship weekly selfies to the police, to show that he stays clean-shaven.
RFE famous that the Legislation on Traditions and Ceremonies doesn’t explicitly outlaw beards, however the authorities have nonetheless discovered causes to detain males and pressure them to shave. A passport official bluntly admitted that male candidates are advised to shave their beards and “reported to greater authorities,” whether or not or not they comply.
“After I visited a physician final month, I used to be stopped on the door by a employees member and advised to regulate my head scarf in order that my jaw and neck have been seen,” a Muslim girl defined, making the ironic level that Tajikistan is nearly as forceful as Iran in imposing headband legal guidelines, simply in the other way.
“I nonetheless put on my head scarf, however I select shiny colours, floral patterns, or scarves with sequins,” she added, noting that plain white and black headscarves are frowned upon by the authorities.
Tajikistan began out by banning the hijab, the necessary Islamic head overlaying for girls, at authorities services and universities. In 2024, it formally amended its Legislation on Traditions and Ceremonies to ban clothes deemed incompatible with nationwide tradition – a restriction extensively understood to concentrate on Islamic apparel.
The regulation additionally explicitly prohibited youngsters from celebrating the Muslim holidays of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha, banned festive celebrations and public decorations by Muslims getting back from the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, and restricted the dimensions of marriage ceremony ceremonies, which are usually massive affairs for Muslims.
Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, who has been in energy since 1992, mentioned the regulation was essential to “defend the unique values of nationwide tradition, stop superstition and fanaticism, curb extravagance in celebrations and ceremonies, elevate the spirituality of the Tajik individuals, and defend the rights and freedoms of kids, fostering their training within the spirit of humanism and patriotism.”
Earlier than passing the regulation, Rahmon denounced “overseas gown” as a type of political and non secular extremism, meant to point out that the wearer is “superior to others.”
The U.S. Fee on Worldwide Non secular Freedom (USCIRF) denounced the regulation quickly after it was handed in 2024. The U.S. State Division has categorised Tajikistan as a Nation of Explicit Concern (CPC) for non secular freedom since 2016.
“The Tajik authorities, undeterred by the repeated CPC designations, continues to seek out new methods to additional limit non secular freedom, as evident by its tightening of the already repressive 2007 traditions regulation,” mentioned USCIRF Vice Chair Eric Ueland.
“Whereas the State Division importantly designates Tajikistan as a CPC, naming and shaming is evidently not sufficient. The designation will solely be efficient if accompanied by actions, similar to focused sanctions or different penalties,” Ueland added.
Even earlier than the 2024 regulation took impact, Tajik authorities have been arresting ladies with headscarves and males with Muslim-style beards. USCIRF printed an up to date report on non secular freedom in Tajikistan in Might 2026 that discovered the scenario has gotten a lot worse, with aggressive enforcement of the Legislation on Traditions and Ceremonies that appeared primarily meant to strengthen Rahmon’s authoritarian rule, relatively than to guard Tajik tradition.
USCIRF famous that Rahmon basically has his personal state faith, a “explicit interpretation of Hanafi Sunni Islam,” and his authorities is hostile to all others.
Hanafism is among the many largest faculties of Sunni Muslim non secular regulation. Rahmon’s defenders argue that his embrace of a tailor-made model of Hanafism is a obligatory protection in opposition to the incursion of extremist manufacturers of Islam, significantly Salafism, the strict ideology embraced by Sunni Muslim terrorists.
Rahmon basically believes that his extra “tolerant” and secular model of Islam is a part of Tajikistan’s tradition and he’s militantly illiberal of different non secular ideologies. Whereas critics of the strategy describe it as incompatible with Western notions of non secular freedom, Tajikistan faces heightened threats from ideologies similar to Salafism, sharing a border with the Taliban’s Afghanistan.
The Biden administration didn’t observe USCIRF’s recommendation to impose sanctions on Tajikistan, and the Trump administration has not performed so both, partially as a result of the U.S. has strengthened ties with Tajikistan to drag it away from Russia’s orbit and safe invaluable cooperation on counter-terrorism.
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