Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DUSHANBE1354
2006-07-19 09:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:
TAJIKISTAN: JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES UNDER SCRUTINY
how-toVZCZCXRO3082 RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHDBU #1354 2000938 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 190938Z JUL 06 FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8091 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1710 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1698 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1669 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1682 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1637 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1604 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1608 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1477 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1425 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1219 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1627 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1674 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0998 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 9396
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001354
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES UNDER SCRUTINY
REF: DUSHANBE 541
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001354
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES UNDER SCRUTINY
REF: DUSHANBE 541
1. (U) Tajik media reported that Murodullo Davlatov, Chairman
of the State Committee for Religious Affairs (SCRA),in a press
conference July 13, singled out the Jehovah's Witnesses and said
that the group's proselytizing activities "arouse public
indignation." Valery Dudaev, Tajikistan's Jehovah's Witnesses
Representative, met with PolOff July 17 to discuss the roots of
Davlatov's statements.
2. (SBU) Dudaev reported that in an earlier meeting, SCRA
Deputy Chairman Rashidov showed Dudaev letters to the SCRA from
the Ministry of Security (MOS) and Ministry of Interior (MOI)
complaining about Jehovah's Witnesses. Dudaev said these
letters state the same complaints Davlatov has publicly voiced,
including parents' objection to their children converting to a
different faith and the public's general annoyance with
Jehovah's Witnesses. The usually moderate and
progressive-minded SCRA Deputy Chairman Rashidov told Dudaev he
agrees with the MOI and MOS's letters of complaints and asked
the organization to stop proselytizing.
3. (SBU) Dudaev reported that since Davlatov's statements,
Jehovah's Witnesses have not faced any direct harassment, but
did encounter other problems recently. About two months ago,
Tajik militia confiscated a truckload of religious literature
Jehovah's Witnesses imported into Tajikistan. After detaining
nine members for about three hours and questioning them, the
militia released the members and their literature. In addition,
although Jehovah's Witnesses had its national charter approved
by former SCRA Chairman Ahmedov and is registered, the local
government in Tursunzoda still will not register that chapter.
Thus far, local officials have turned a blind eye to Jehovah's
Witnesses activities and have not forced the 100 members in
Tursunzoda to close down.
4. (U) In Davlatov's statements to the press, he observed that
religious organizations of all faiths often act outside the
scope of their charters and national law, including charity
organizations that also carry out religious work. He named the
Turkish organization Ufuq as one such group and said that the
SCRA has also met with the charity's management.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Davlatov's statements may be an attempt to
garner support for his draft law on religion that has been
sidelined. If the public believes religious organizations are
operating outside of their bounds and need to be reigned in, it
may support the new draft law that restricts religious activity
even further (reftel). Specifically for the Jehovah's
Witnesses, Davlatov's comments signal potential trouble. The
organization will be increasingly scrutinized and the government
may look for any excuse to clamp down on the group's activities.
It is unlikely the Turusonzoda office will be registered in the
near future. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES UNDER SCRUTINY
REF: DUSHANBE 541
1. (U) Tajik media reported that Murodullo Davlatov, Chairman
of the State Committee for Religious Affairs (SCRA),in a press
conference July 13, singled out the Jehovah's Witnesses and said
that the group's proselytizing activities "arouse public
indignation." Valery Dudaev, Tajikistan's Jehovah's Witnesses
Representative, met with PolOff July 17 to discuss the roots of
Davlatov's statements.
2. (SBU) Dudaev reported that in an earlier meeting, SCRA
Deputy Chairman Rashidov showed Dudaev letters to the SCRA from
the Ministry of Security (MOS) and Ministry of Interior (MOI)
complaining about Jehovah's Witnesses. Dudaev said these
letters state the same complaints Davlatov has publicly voiced,
including parents' objection to their children converting to a
different faith and the public's general annoyance with
Jehovah's Witnesses. The usually moderate and
progressive-minded SCRA Deputy Chairman Rashidov told Dudaev he
agrees with the MOI and MOS's letters of complaints and asked
the organization to stop proselytizing.
3. (SBU) Dudaev reported that since Davlatov's statements,
Jehovah's Witnesses have not faced any direct harassment, but
did encounter other problems recently. About two months ago,
Tajik militia confiscated a truckload of religious literature
Jehovah's Witnesses imported into Tajikistan. After detaining
nine members for about three hours and questioning them, the
militia released the members and their literature. In addition,
although Jehovah's Witnesses had its national charter approved
by former SCRA Chairman Ahmedov and is registered, the local
government in Tursunzoda still will not register that chapter.
Thus far, local officials have turned a blind eye to Jehovah's
Witnesses activities and have not forced the 100 members in
Tursunzoda to close down.
4. (U) In Davlatov's statements to the press, he observed that
religious organizations of all faiths often act outside the
scope of their charters and national law, including charity
organizations that also carry out religious work. He named the
Turkish organization Ufuq as one such group and said that the
SCRA has also met with the charity's management.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Davlatov's statements may be an attempt to
garner support for his draft law on religion that has been
sidelined. If the public believes religious organizations are
operating outside of their bounds and need to be reigned in, it
may support the new draft law that restricts religious activity
even further (reftel). Specifically for the Jehovah's
Witnesses, Davlatov's comments signal potential trouble. The
organization will be increasingly scrutinized and the government
may look for any excuse to clamp down on the group's activities.
It is unlikely the Turusonzoda office will be registered in the
near future. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND