DUSHANBE, November 11, 2014, Asia-Plus – After a three-month discussion, Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament has voted down the amendments offered to the country’s laws on religion and religious organizations and parental responsibility by two deputies from the Islamic Revival Party (IRP).

“The law on the responsibilities of parents in raising and educating their children bans children under the age of 18 from attending prayers in mosques and we proposed to allow them attending prays in mosques during out-of-school time,” said IRP deputy leader Saidumar Husaini, who is also deputy of Majlisi Namoyandagon.  “We have also proposed amendments to the law on religion and religious organizations, which bans people from praying in public places.  We have proposed to allow people to pray in public places but without inconveniencing other citizens.”

“Besides, we have proposed to create conditions for praying in offices but our colleagues have voted down our proposal, justifying the refusal by the budget scarcity,” Husaini noted.