Freedom of Religion in Tajikistan

Freedom of religion in Tajikistan is provided for in Tajikistan's constitution. However, respect for religious freedom has eroded during recent years, creating some areas of concern.

Tajikistan's policies reflect a concern about Islamic extremism, a concern shared by much of the general population. The government actively monitors the activities of religious institutions to keep them from becoming overtly political. There were no closures of officially registered mosques, although the government of Tajikistan closed several unregistered mosques, prayer rooms, and madrassahs, and made the registration process to establish new mosques difficult. A Tajikistan Ministry of Education policy prohibited girls from wearing the hijab at public schools. The government uses the registration process to hinder some organizations' religious activity. Some religious organizations and individuals face harassment, temporary detention, and interrogation by government authorities. The Tajikistan government, including President Emomali Rahmon, continue to enunciate a policy of active secularism.

Some mainstream Muslim leaders occasionally express, through sermons and press articles, their opinion that minority religious groups undermine national unity.