Today’s realities have shown that mobile communications and Internet remain the main ways of recruitment of our citizens by terrorist and extremist organizations, Jourakhon Majidzoda, the head of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) Committee on Defense and Security, said today commenting on the communications service agency’s decision to set price for a Tajik SIM card at 250.00 somoni.  

According to him, Internet and mobile communications users every day receive dozens of thousands of messages from extremist and terrorist with call to join them.  

“Use of information from Internet resources and mobile communications by the law enforcement authorities will improve detection of terrorists-related crimes,” Majidzoda noted.  

He noted that introduction of payment for SIM card was not anything new in the world practice.  

“As far as I know, such a practice was introduced in Turkey several years ago and today, you can purchase a SIM card in Turkey for some 50 U.S. dollars,” Tajik MP added.  

Recall, a Tajik SIM card will be sold at 250.00 somoni (equivalent to 26 U.S. dollars) beginning on September 1, 2018.  

According to the communications service agency, the interior ministry has proposed to introduce fee for SIM cards for security reasons.  The interior ministry has reportedly proposed to introduce fee for SIM cards in order to enhance responsibility of subscribers for possession of mobile phone number.

Representatives of the communications service agency consider that the high cost will also prevent resale of SIM cards, because reregistration of a SIM card to a new owner will also cost 250.00 somoni.