Tajikistan has implemented a nationwide ban on the wearing of hijabs and other religious clothing, with President Emomali Rahmon at the forefront of this move. Rahmon, who has led Tajikistan for over 30 years, views religious identity as a hindrance to the nation’s development and is actively promoting a Western lifestyle. The government justifies the ban as a measure to protect national cultural values and combat superstition and extremism.
Despite 96% of Tajikistan’s population being Muslim, according to the 2020 census, the government sees Islamic practices and identity as a threat to secularism. Rahmon, in power since 1994, has also outlawed the growing of beards, with violations of these restrictions resulting in heavy fines and punishment.
Tajikistan initially banned hijabs in schools in 2007 and in public institutions in 2009. Now, women are prohibited from covering their heads with any cloth or hijab in public spaces across the country. Although there is no official law against beards, authorities forcibly shave them. TRT World reported that individuals wearing religious clothing face substantial fines: Rs 64,772 for civilians, Rs 2.93 lakh for companies, and up to Rs 4.28 lakh for government officials.
Parents in Tajikistan face penalties if they send their children abroad for religious education, while children under 18 cannot attend mosques without special permission. Additionally, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha celebrations for children are banned. The government has also banned the sale of black cloth in the capital, Dushanbe, and prohibited people under 18 from attending Friday prayers. In 2015, Tajikistan’s Religious Affairs Committee barred individuals under 35 from performing the Hajj pilgrimage.
The government sees radicalism as the nation’s greatest threat and believes these measures will curb it. Many Tajik citizens have reportedly joined extremist groups like ISIS. In March, evidence emerged linking a Tajik national to a terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow that left over 140 dead.
President Rahmon has emphasized his goal of transforming Tajikistan into a democratic, sovereign, law-based, and secular nation, urging citizens to practice faith internally. In 2017, the Religious Affairs Committee closed 1,938 mosques and converted many into tea shops or medical centers. The number of Tajik nationals joining ISIS has risen significantly, with 200 reported in 2014, 1,000 in 2015, and around 1,000 in 2018.