DUSHANBE, March 30, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan’s new law on freedom of conscience and religious associations caused lively discussions at a March 30 roundtable meeting that was staged by President’s Executive Office, Center for Islamic Studies, Ministry of Culture and Tajik Journalists’ Union.

According to the information analysis department within President’s Executive Office, the meeting brought together representatives from relevant state institutions, religious organizations and heads of country’s leading media to discuss the mentioned law.

State Adviser to the Tajik President for Social Matters Saymurod Fattoyev, Culture Minister Mirzosharukh Asrori, Director of the Center for Islamic Studies  Murodullo Davlatov and some other officials and specialists made speeches at the meeting on the new religion law.

We will recall that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has criticized the new religion law as highly restrictive.  “If signed, the law will legalize harsh policies already adopted by the Tajik government against its majority Muslim population, including the closure of hundreds of mosques and limiting the religious education of children. Moreover, the law will impose state censorship on religious literature, restrict the conduct of religious rites to officially-approved places of worship and allow the state to control the activities of religious associations,” a statement released by USCIRF on March 20 said.

President Rahmon singed the new law on freedom of conscience and religious associations on March 25 and it will come into force after its official publication.