USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Conditions in Tajikistan

     

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following new report:
 
Tajikistan Country Update – Religious freedom conditions continue to deteriorate in Tajikistan, as developments in neighboring Afghanistan reinforce the intersection between authoritarianism and security concerns. For over a decade, the Tajik government heavily regulated what it deemed as acceptable Islamic practice, subordinating Muslim institutions to the regime and imprisoning independent clerics, political opponents, and secular critics as “extremists” and “terrorists.” The imminent challenge posed by the Taliban’s rapid takeover in Afghanistan threatens to accelerate this trend and diminishes the potential for Tajikistan to reevaluate religious freedom restrictions. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief recently cancelled a planned trip to Tajikistan the country after failing to receive the promised official invitation, dampening hopes that Tajikistan country might be on the cusp of change. This report details ongoing violations of religious freedom and explains how the shifting geopolitical landscape in the region diminishes the prospect of significant reform.

In its 2021 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State continue to designate Tajikistan as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. Religious freedom conditions in Tajikistan were also discussed an episode of the USCIRF Spotlight podcast in September 2021.
 

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..