TAJIKISTAN CRACKS DOWN ON RELIGION, CANCELS JEHOVAH'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000623

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/24/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN CRACKS DOWN ON RELIGION, CANCELS JEHOVAH'S
WITNESSES MEETINGS

REF: A) DUSHANBE 518 B) 06 DUSHANBE 2210

CLASSIFIED BY: TJACOBSON, AMBASSADOR, STATE, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) SUMMARY: A deputy mayor of Dushanbe city along with
officers from the State Committee on National Security shut down
a Jehovah's Witnesses meeting of members and supporters on April

2. On April 3 and 4, the State Committee on National Security
summoned one of the group's leaders for questioning. The latest
government interference is part of a disturbing trend towards
religious groups, particularly Christian groups who proselytize.
Valeri Dudaev, a Jehovah's Witness, met with PolOff on April 21
to discuss the group's ongoing problems. END SUMMARY.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES NOT ALLOWED TO MEET


2. (C) On the evening of April 2 the Jehovah's Witnesses had
planned a large gathering of members and supporters to celebrate
a religious holiday. The group had reserved a meeting space in
a local theater. The manager of the theater building where the
Jehovah's Witnesses were supposed to meet told Dudaev that
Dushanbe mayor Ubaidulloyev gave him a verbal order not to
permit Christian gatherings. On April 2 when the deputy mayor
and State Committee on National Security officials approached
Dudaev, they told him that the Jehovah's Witnesses have no right
to gather without government permission. According to Tajik
law, registered religious groups do have the right of
association.


3. (C) On April 3 and 4, the State Committee on National
Security summoned Dudaev for questioning. Officials threatened
to take him to court for violating laws and not obtaining
permission from the city to hold a meeting. Officials were not
able to show Dudaev copies of the laws he allegedly violated.
They also threatened to deport him back to Russia, where Dudaev
is a citizen, and to create problems for the new building the
group is constructing. The State Committee on National Security
also instructed him to report names of anybody who approaches
the group and wants to join the Jehovah's Witnesses.

USING REGISTRATION AS A WEAPON


4. (SBU) The Jehovah's Witnesses are registered at the
national level with the Department of Religious Affairs at the
Ministry of Culture and have the right to operate in Tajikistan.
However, for the past five years, the group has been unable to
register a branch office in Turson-Zade. The local government
says it is the national government's responsibility to register
the branch and the national government says it is the local
government's responsibility. This catch-22 is the government's
ploy to keep the group from acquiring official status.


5. (C) In the meantime, while the group battles on and tries
to register, for the past two years its members have been
regularly called in by the local government offices at least
once a month for questioning and harassment. The questioning
occurs most frequently in Turson-Zade where the group is not
considered a legal organization. Dudaev confirmed that although
members have been harassed, none have been beaten or tortured.
He is, however, disturbed by the disrespect and inappropriate
language the officials use. In a written statement detailing a
recent incident, one security officer is quoted as threatening
two Jehovah's Witnesses telling them that if they talked to
local people about the Bible, he would "order his seven
subordinates to strip and rape them, and then he would come and
personally cut them in half." Testimonies from other Christian
denominations also confirm that security officers are particular
belligerent towards local Tajiks who have converted to
Christianity and "betrayed" their Islamic faith.


6. (SBU) One of the excuses the local government frequently
uses to call in the Jehovah's Witnesses is because they
distribute religious literature and journals. The law does not
prohibit proselytizing and distribution of religious materials
by religious groups. Jehovah's Witnesses asked the government
to provide in writing the law the group is allegedly violating,
but the government has never done so.


7. (C) The Jehovah's Witness problem is one among a series of

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other significant issues Christian groups have faced, including
the recent legal problems and harassment of Operation Mercy
(reftel A) and the ongoing case of the mayor's attempt to seize
the Grace Sun Min Church's property (reftel B). Interlocutors
at all three organizations say that they have not heard any
complaints from local Tajik citizens and find Tajiks to respect
Christian organizations. Government officials however explain
that local Tajiks frequently complain about Christian
missionaries.


8. (C) COMMENT: In recent months, the government has closed
several mosques and continues to keep a close eye on certain
Islamic clergy because it fears extremism. However, the State
Committee on National Security's attitude towards Christian
groups and recent harassment indicates a trend of suspicion and
anti-Christian sentiment within the government, particularly
towards Christian groups that proselytize, distribute religious
literature or have a high number of converts. Groups such as
the Russian Orthodox Church or the Vatican's Representative here
in Dushanbe do not report conflict with the government. All
three incidents also relate to conflict with the city government
or directly with the Dushanbe mayor himself, but it remains
unclear whether the directive for Christian harassment stems
from the mayor or a higher authority. Tajikistan purports to be
a state that guarantees religious freedom; however, the
government's actions contradict its constitutional laws. END
COMMENT.
JACOBSON