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10 Muslim clerics banned from preaching
RFE/RL (02.08.2002) / HRWF International Secretariat (02.08.2002) C Website http://www.hrwf.net C Email info@hrwf.net - Ten Muslim clerics in Tajikistan's northern Isfara district have been banned from service for activities incompatible with their status.
The head of Tajikistan's Religious Affairs Council, Said Akhmedov, said the clerics involved were members of the Islamic Renaissance Party and their preaching in mosques is therefore a violation of the constitutional prohibition against clergy participating in politics.
Tajik authorities have targeted Isfara since President Imomali Rakhmonov visited the district last month and noted there are more than 50 mosques, dozens of mullahs, and not enough schools in the small district. He also said two of the prisoners captured in Afghanistan and held by the United States at the Guantanamo base in Cuba are Tajik citizens from Isfara.
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Muslims weep as "unapproved" mosques demolished
Keston News Service (18.03.2002) / HRWF International Secretariat (19.03.2002) C Website http://www.hrwf.net C Email info@hrwf.net - Following a January decision by the mayor of Dushanbe that "unapproved" mosques in the Tajik capital be demolished, the process of demolition has begun.
Keston News Service witnessed the demolition in February of three mosques which had been built in violation of the city plan. Some of the Muslims watching were weeping. Muslim leaders have complained about how difficult it is to get new or existing mosques registered, and more than 100 mosques in Dushanbe without state registration appear to be threatened with demolition. Tajik law does not specifically ban the functioning of unregistered places of worship, although state officials often claim that it does.
Keston News Service http://www.keston.org
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