Tajik President Denies Religious Freedom as He Strives for Total Control

Tajik President Denies Religious Freedom as He Strives for Total Control

Washington, DC -The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on Tajikistan:

Tajikistan Country Update - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon's authoritarian government regularly commits particularly severe violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), restricting nearly all aspects of religious life to mute nonstate religious influences and strengthen its control over the country. This report outlines concerning religious freedom conditions in Tajikistan, including assessing the government's ongoing efforts to control Tajik religious life.

In its 2026 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State redesignate Tajikistan as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion or belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].