The upper house of the Parliament of Tajikistan approved amendments banning “idgordak” and “foreign” clothing

The upper house of the Parliament of Tajikistan on Wednesday, June 19, adopted amendments to the law “On the Regulation of Traditions and Rituals,” which have sparked widespread public reaction. Among the amendments adopted today are prohibitions on the “import, sale, and wearing in public places of clothing alien to national culture,” as well as idgardaк (children’s celebrations on the occasion of the two main Muslim holidays – Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha).

Independent journalists were not allowed to attend the session of the Majlisi Milli, so details of the discussion and the adopted amendments are not available.

Previously, some residents and clergy both inside and outside the country criticized the amendments regarding “idgardaк” and the so-called “alien” clothing, calling for them to be reconsidered. “All laws are adopted in accordance with the established procedure,” said Majlisi Milli spokesperson Navruz Kurbonzoda to Radio Ozodi on Wednesday.

The discussion of changes and additions to the law “On the Regulation of Traditions and Rituals” took place in the lower house of parliament on May 8, and later details were published in the parliamentary newspaper “Sadoi Mardum.” According to this publication, the head of the Committee on Religious Affairs of Tajikistan, Sulaymon Davlatzoda, stated in the presence of deputies that “…amendments to Article 9 of the draft law were made regarding official holidays, with the aim of proper upbringing of children and ensuring their safety during the celebrations of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.”

The amendments to the law prohibiting “alien clothing” were introduced to parliament after a meeting between the President of Tajikistan and the clergy in March of this year. “Imitating alien culture in clothing, that is, wearing foreign clothing called satr and hijab, is another pressing issue for our society. The alienation of etiquette and clothing rituals is cultural alienation that undermines the independence of thought, national and cultural identity of the nation,” stated Emomali Rahmon on March 9.

The League of Muslim Scholars condemned the bill prohibiting the wearing of hijab in Tajikistan, while some extremist clerics in Afghanistan even declared “jihad.” In Tajikistan, the approval of the bill by deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon was met with responses from some religious figures, officials, university lecturers, and bloggers. The bill also sparked heated discussions on social media. The amendments will come into force after being signed by the president and published in the official press.

The law “On the Regulation of Traditions, Celebrations, and Rituals in the Republic of Tajikistan” was adopted at the proposal of the country’s president in 2007, as officials of various ranks state, “with the aim of protecting the economic and material welfare of citizens, raising their legal culture and legal consciousness.” Government supporters call it a “national law” without precedent in global legal practice. Opponents, however, claim that the authorities use this law to interfere in people’s personal lives, their finances, from the choice of names and surnames to the sizes of dastarkhans, tables, graves, and their tombstones.