DUSHANBE, January 19, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Some 2,500 public associations (primarily charitable and youth organizations or gender NGOs) now function in Tajikistan, Minister of Justice Rustam Mengliyev announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 19.

According to him, 201 new public associations were registered in the country last year and 1,071 public associations were warned last year for failure to provide information about their activities.

“In 2011, the Ministry of Justice filed 14 lawsuits against public associations,” said the minister.  “Nine of those claims were sustained and activities of three NGOs were suspended.”

In 2011, registry offices issued 94,618 birth certificates (100,440 marriage certificates were issued in 2010) and 200,475 birth certificates (189,187 birth certificates were issued in 2010), Mengliyev added.