KHUJAND, July 21, 2016, Asia-Plus – Nine imam-khatibs have been jailed in the northern Sughd province for membership in an ultraconservative Islamic Salafist movement, Suhrob Rustamzoda, the head of the Sughd department on religious affairs, announced at a news conference in Khujand on July 20.

“Of those convicted, one is imam-khatib, two others are deputy imam-khatibs and the remaining six are former imam-khatibs and employees of mosques in Khujand, Konibodom, Isfara, Guliston and Bobojonghafourov,” Rustamzoda said.

According to him, Sughd now has 942 registered mosques for daily prayers, 91 Friday prayer mosques (larger facilities built for weekly Friday prayers) and 13 central cathedral mosques.  Besides, 20 non-Islamic religious associations now function in Sughd. 

The Salafist movement was banned in Tajikistan by a Supreme Court decision in 2009. The movement was designated as extremist in 2014.