Religious Restrictions in Tajikistan at Alarming Rates and Worsening WEA-RLC Research and Analysis Report: Religious Restrictions Likely to Worsen in Tajikistan ICC Note: Recent research reveals that the already strict limits on religious freedom in Tajikistan are sure to worsen with time. Some of the strict limitations currently present include one from 2011, when the government enacted the Parental Responsibility Law, which prohibits almost all religious activity, including attendance at worship service, by children. The law also restricts parents from choosing certain names for their children. 2/13/2014 Tajikistan (WEA)-Tajikistan shares a long and porous border with Afghanistan, where a surge in Islamist activity is feared as the number of U.S. troops drops significantly in just a few weeks from now. This threat can provide a pretext to President Emomali Rahmon to get tougher with religious groups. The former Soviet nation of Tajikistan is a Tier 1 Country of Particular Concern, as per the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). This designation refers to those governments that have engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom - violations that are systematic, ongoing, and egregious. Conditions for religious groups, including and especially evangelical Christians, might deteriorate even further as the drawdown of U.S. troops falls from 66,000 to 34,000 in Afghanistan in February possibly leading to a major Taliban push to retake power. After 2014, the American presence in Afghanistan is expected to further come down to about 6,000-10,000 U.S. trainers and counterterrorism forces, assisted by about 5,000 partner forces performing similar missions. There are fears that the Taliban and other insurgents will achieve success against Afghan forces once the international force is reduced substantially by late 2014, acknowledged a Jan. 17 U.S. Congressional report, Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy. After the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan was reduced from 100,000 in June 2011 to about 66,000 by September 2012, consequences were evident. The civilian casualty toll there increased by 23 percent in the first six months of 2013, according to the U.N. Presidential elections in Afghanistan are scheduled for April 5, but with President Hamid Karzai barred from running for a third term as per the nations constitution and no successor in sight, one doesnt know what to expect after a new government is in place. While efforts are on to encourage the Taliban to participate in the elections, the insurgent group has thus far remained determined to obstruct the polls. Tajikistan, which fears that the anticipated resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan will likely promote Islamic militancy within and around its territories, has already started preparing to fight the threat militarily. Russia, which protects the Tajik-Afghan border, is also reportedly increasing its military support to the Tajik army. For Islamist extremists in Afghanistan and elsewhere, Tajikistan has been a fertile ground for recruitment thanks to its large ill-educated, unemployed population. Therefore, the reaction of President Rahmons government in Dushanbe, which has long been using the threat of Islamic militancy as a pretext to impose severe restrictions on religious groups, is not difficult to predict. Restrictions have existed in the nation, but they appear to be constantly growing. from persecution.org
Posted on: Sat, 15 Feb 2014 21:39:57 +0000
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