DUSHANBE, January 28, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- The Department for Religious Affairs (DRA) at the Ministry of Culture (MoC) says the Dushanbe synagogue has failed to submit documents for re-registration by January 1, 2010, which was deadline for re-registration of all religious groups and organizations functioning in the country.

Mikhail Abdurakhmanov, the rabbi of the Dushanbe synagogue, told Asia-Plus that their application for re-registration was refused because of a number of errors in some documents filed to the DRA for re-registration.

According to him, the Jewish congregation in Dushanbe was not re-registered because the new synagogue lacks an official address.

Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on January 27 that Mikhail Abdurakhmanov said the new synagogue cannot be legally registered because the building is still owned by Hasan Asadullozoda, head of Orienbonk (We will recall that Asadullozoda donated a house in the center of Dushanbe to the city’ Jewish congregation in March 2009).

“There were also some other issues,” said the rabbi, “The Jewish community is currently taking measures to remove existing shortcomings.  I think all necessary documents will be filed to the Ministry of Culture within the next few days.  But this time, we will not apply for re-registration, we now want to be registered as religious association.”  According to him, this issue has already been discussed at the DRA and “it met with understanding of the ministry officials.”