The list of 29 banned organizations in Tajikistan has been published

On May 27, 2024, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan published a list of 29 organizations, movements, trends, groups, and associations recognized as terrorist and extremist in the country, whose activities are prohibited on the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The Supreme Court reminds citizens that it is prohibited to assist in their activities using media and the Internet (likes, reposts, etc.), as well as to promote their ideas. The basis of this list consists of organizations related to political Islam, both radical and moderate, but it also includes a non-Islamic religious group.

In particular, the banned list includes the Islamic Revival Party, “Al-Qaeda,” “Taliban,” “Group 24,” Pamir Daily News, “New Tajikistan-2,” “Salafiya,” “Ansarullah,” and “Vilayat Khorasan”-ISIS. The authorities of Tajikistan have banned their activities in the country over the years.

Representatives of the IRPT, “Group 24,” and Pamir Daily News consider themselves to be the opposition to the Tajik government, operating within the legal framework, and they describe the Supreme Court’s decision as politically motivated and illegal. Members of these organizations have been forced to flee the country since 2014.

The radical movement “Taliban,” which has made it onto this list, has been in power in Afghanistan for over three years. To date, Tajikistan, like several other countries, has not recognized the Taliban government but continues economic cooperation with it. For example, Dushanbe annually supplies electricity to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only non-Islamic religious organization included in the list of extremist and terrorist organizations in Tajikistan.

Official Dushanbe states that followers of this movement systematically violate articles of the law “On Religion and Religious Organizations” and do not respond to repeated warnings. In 2008, a military garrison court in Dushanbe completely banned the activities of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” on the territory of Tajikistan for calls to refuse military service, which contradicted the Constitution of the country. Jehovah’s Witnesses have repeatedly attempted to appeal this decision, but all attempts have been unsuccessful.

The Supreme Court of Tajikistan did not specify the reason for publishing the list of banned organizations but reminded that support, financing, and promotion of the ideas of these organizations entail criminal liability. “Ignorance of the laws does not exempt from responsibility,” the statement notes.

The Supreme Court urged citizens “not to allow their children and relatives to follow the unhealthy and provocative beliefs (opinions) of these associations, to be deceived by their hostile ideas, propaganda, and agitation, and provocative promises.”

Human rights defenders have repeatedly stated that they support Tajikistan’s efforts to combat terrorism and extremism but are concerned that in the framework of this struggle, undesirable organizations are being purged.

Representatives of Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, and Amnesty International believe that the authorities of Tajikistan are using accusations of extremism to detain journalists, opposition members, and civil activists. In just 2022-2023, eight journalists and bloggers were imprisoned in the country on this charge.

Complete list of 29 banned organizations, groups, and movements:

• “Islamic Revival Party”
• Organization “Al-Qaeda”
• “Islamic Movement of Eastern Turkestan”
• “Islamic Party of Turkestan” (formerly “Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan”)
• Movement “Taliban”
• Organization “Muslim Brotherhood”
• Organization “Lashkar-e-Taiba”
• “Islamic Group” (“Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan”)
• “Jamaat-e-Tabligh”
• Religious missionary organization “Sozmoni tabligh” (“Call to Islam”)
• “Free Tajikistan” (“Tochikistoni ozod”).
• “Hizb ut-Tahrir”
• “Hizb al-Tahrir”
• Religious movement “Salafism”
• Society “Ansarullah”
• Public movement “Group 24”
• Organization “Islamic State”
• “Jabhat al-Nusra” (“Jabhat an-Nusra”)
• “National Alliance of Tajikistan”
• “Holy War” (Al-Jihad, Egyptian Islamic Jihad)
• Society of Social Reforms (Jamiat al-Islah al-Ijtima’i)
• Society for the Revival of Islamic Heritage (Jamiat Ihya at-Turath al-Islami)
• “House of Two Holy Places” (Al-Haramayn)
• “Jund al-Sham” (Forces of Greater Syria)
• “Islamic Jihad – Mujahideen Jamaat”
• Extremist community “Jehovah’s Witnesses”
• Organization “Pamir Daily News” (Pamir DailyNews) or “Pamir News” (Pamir News)
• Territorial-extremist organization “Islamic State of Khorasan Province”
• Extremist organization “New Tajikistan 2”.