Update: President signs restrictive religion law

01 April 2009

President Emomali Rahmon

Tajikistan's President, Emomali Rahmon, has signed a repressive new religion law that was first sent to parliament for approval in mid-November (click here for more information). The legislation, which violates the country's constitution and international human rights obligations, has been harshly criticized by many human rights groups, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

For more information on the opposition facing Christians in Tajikistan, click here.

Tajikistan

Current Ministry Project
VOMC has come alongside project partners to offer an English camp as an opportunity for evangelism and outreach among youth and young adults. Camp participants are invited to embrace the Good News of the Gospel through the platform of the English Camps.

Project Fund: Equipping the Saints
Country Information
Population
9,245,937 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Tajik (84.3), Uzbek (13.8), Other (2)

Religion (%)
Muslim (98), Other (2)

Leader
President Emomali Rahmon (1994)

Government type
Presidential republic

Legal system
Civil law system

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Tajikistan
Pray God will provide for the physical needs of the people of Tajikistan.

Pray freedom of religion will be respected by the government.

Tajikistan News

No New Churches Allowed

Pray that Tajikistan’s youth will be allowed to participate in Christian summer camp programs.
Photo: VOMC Ministry Partner

In late May, Protestant church leaders in Tajikistan were summoned to a meeting with Sulaymon Davlatzoda, the chair of the State Committee for Religious Affairs and Regulation of Traditions, Ceremonies and Rituals. During the meeting, they were informed that the government would no longer be registering any new churches. "We will keep the figure of registered churches unchanged from now on," Sulaymon told them. He further went on to remind the church leaders that there are to be no religious activities for those under 18 years of age, including their participation in any religious camps.

Read more...
Fines for Bible Translation

Over the past six months, the leaders of four different churches in Tajikistan have received huge fines because they were part of a plan to create a new Tajik translation of the Bible. According to some Tajik Christians, the current translations available in their language use archaic words and sometimes the translation is unclear. In response to the need, these churches arranged to have a new translation made through Linguatec, a translation company.

Read more...
Pastor Released Early

Pastor Bakhrom Kholmatov and
his wife (undated image).
Photo: World Watch Monitor

In April 2017, Pastor Bakhrom Kholmatov was arrested and charged with "singing extremist songs in church and so inciting religious hatred." In July of that year, he had been sentenced to three years in prison (read more). We are thankful to report that Pastor Bakhrom was released on December 17th, more than three months early.

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Clampdown on Christianity

Pastor Batyr
Photo: Release International

Throughout Central Asia, Christians are facing worship bans, arrest and torture as Islamic nationalism gains ground. In late August, we reported on a group arrested in Tajikistan for distributing Christian literature (read the report). Similar incidents are happening regularly in other neighbouring Central Asian countries, according to a recent report from VOMC's partner ministry, Release International.

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