DUSHANBE, January 26, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Interior Minister Mahmadnazar Solehov told a press conference in Dushanbe on January 26 that he had ordered police directorates not to prosecute followers of Salafism who had abandoned their views and stopped their membership of the movement.

According to him, no legal action has been taken against Salafis after the Supreme Court banned the Salafiya movement in Tajikistan on January 8 this year.

“Legal actions will be taken against persons propagating Salafiya’s ideas under the provisions of Article 189 of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – incitement of national racial, regional or religious enmity,” the minister said.