51 administrative cases for violation of law on observing national traditions and rituals were opened in Khujand in 2022-2023, the head of the Khujand department on religious affairs and streamlining traditions, Doston Dilovarzoda, told Asia-Plus in an interview Wednesday afternoon.      

According to him, all those cases have already moved to a court.  

“The breaches revealed in the city over the reporting period include birthday parties, ‘domodtalbon’ (first visit of son-in-law to the house of wife’s parents), ‘arousbinon’ or “roubinon” (acquaintance of newly-wed with husband’s relatives), ‘khatnatui’ (the rite of circumcision),  paying respect to Hajjis, and ‘fotiha’ (“opening”, “beginning”) or ‘nonshikanon’ (“breaking bread”), which is considered an official engagement.

A meeting of the Coordinating Council of the Khujand Law Enforcement Agencies took place on January 22. 

Sughdnews reports that during the meeting it was noted that eight prosecutor’s inspections conducted in Khujand have revealed more than 200 cases of violation of the law on observing national traditions and rituals in the city.     

Speaking at the meeting, Faridoun Nourullozoda, the senior aide to the Khujand prosecutor, reportedly noted that 214 cases of violation of the law on observing national traditions and rituals were revealed in the city in 2022-2023.  

According to him, 120 people were implicated in wrongdoing, and disciplinary and administrative action was imposed upon them and 51 administrative cases opened in 2022-2023 have already moved to a court. 

Recall, President Emomali Rahmon signed the law on streamlining the traditions, celebrations and ceremonies in Tajikistan on 2007, justifying it “by protecting the true values ​​of national culture, respect for folk customs and improving the social and economic standard of living of citizens.”  The Law on Observing National Traditions and Rituals regulates private celebrations and funeral services, including weddings, funerals, and Mavludi Payghambar (the birthday of the Prophet).  The stated intent of the law was to protect the public from spending excessive amounts of money on celebrations. The law limited number of guests, eliminated engagement parties, and controlled ceremonial gift presentations and other rituals.