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November 1, 2005
Tajikistan: Islamic Party Protests Headscarf Ban
We reported earlier how the government of Tajikistan had introduced a ban on on the hijab, or Muslim headscarf, in schools.
Now, the Islamic Renaissance Party (Nahzati Islomi Tojikiston) has said in a statement that the October 19 ban ran counter to the interests of the majority of Tajiks, contradicted the constitution and international laws, states Al Jazeera. The party claimed the ban could create a negative public response.
Tajikistan has a secular constitution, and 90% of its population are Muslim.
As we stated earlier: Abdudjabor Rakhmonov (the Tajik education minister who introduced the ban) was concerned that many students spent time in mosques at the expense of their education. "Many spend evenings in mosques and do not do their homework," Rakhmonov said, adding that during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan many did not attend classes after Friday prayers."
The Islamic Renaissance Party, founded in 1991, is, according to Al Jazeera, the only Islamic party in former Soviet Central Asia. It has lost much of its power due to government strong-arm tactics, which have included jailing some of its members. In January 2004 the party's leader was jailed for 16 years for polygamy.
Last year, 70 members of Hizb ut-Tahrir were arrested, and in September nine received prison sentences ranging from 13 to 15 years for crimes which included "organising a criminal group, inciting national, racial, religious and ethnic strife."
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 1, 2005 5:30 AM
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