Authorities force mosque imams to hand over recruits

In the Khatlon region, military enlistment office employees, along with local authorities and law enforcement officials, are forcing mosque imams to provide one to three recruits.

A source from the city of Kulob (his name is not disclosed for security reasons) told Azda TV on April 18 that military enlistment office employees and officials have mandated imams of all mosques in the city and nearby areas to provide one to three recruits from each mosque. Otherwise, they threatened to close the mosques.

“I myself was an imam of our neighborhood mosque for several years, but due to pressure and numerous demands from the authorities, I could not continue my work as an imam. They constantly demand that we provide youth of conscription age for military service or collect money for some event. Instead of instructing us to be closer to the people, their orders and pressures have led to residents avoiding and distancing themselves from mosque imams,” the source reported.

“Now in the village, we are seen not as imams who strive to help solve the problems of the population, but as law enforcement agents and government propagandists. In the future, this will cause even more harm; residents will not trust us,” the source lamented.

According to the source, the authorities not only force mosque imams to provide youth of conscription age but also exert pressure for imams to collect money through fitra-sadaqa, almsgiving, and donations from the population. “They even tell imams that if they cannot collect the required amount, they will have to pay from their own pockets,” he reported.

Our source stated that local authorities compel mosques to collect money from residents and set conditions even for holding government events, threatening to cut off water, electricity, and even close the mosque if they fail to comply.

It was previously reported that in some settlements and villages of Tajikistan, authorities cut off electricity to the population due to the failure to meet military conscription plans.

On November 1, a source from the Kushonien district (formerly Bokhtar) of the Khatlon region, who wished to remain anonymous, told Azda TV that district authorities, together with military enlistment office employees, made an announcement in the village mosques. Believers and village elders were told that until they bring three young men of conscription age, electricity supply would not be restored.

Authorities always deny conducting “raids” or collecting money from the population using such methods for public events.